Tale of Shadows
by Flower Petals
Summary: When an age old evil threatens to destroy all that they love and live for, seven close friends head out on a quest to save and protect all that they hold dear. It's a tale of friendship and betrayal, of sacrifice and redemption. Of dark secrets, deep love
1. Presumptions

Hi! I'm Flower Petals and this is my very first fan fiction. I wrote it for my sister as a Christmas present last year, so please don't mind if it's kind of old. I wrote it way before the second season of Yu-Gi-Oh began, so I was clueless about everything from personalities to Millennium Items. I know there are long paragraphs, but please suffer through them. It gets better, I promise. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything pertaining to it. But I do own my sister, (Taleah). He, he, he. . .

_Flower Petals_

_Presumptions_

"You know what I must do, do you not?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a slight twang as glass touched the surface of a cherry wood table. The red liquid within the glass, stirred. A fork was placed down also, on a plate occupied by cheesecake of the richest sort. 

"I have waited too long. Much too long. I must have it. I _need-"_ There was a clearing of the throat. "I require it."

"Yes, I know, sir."

A quick flash of gold was quickly shown. "You know the arrangements, now off with you!"

"Yes, sir!"

A door was shut quickly and footsteps could be heard in a rapidly increasing rhythm. 

A vicious little chuckle ripped through the air. "They'll all be mine, given the right amount of time. Oh, yes. I can see it now. Mine, again. . ." Sputters of laughter ran out into the darkness.

_"I love you. You know that don't you?"_

_ "Oh, yes. I have loved since the very first day we met. Never will I not say that you are in my heart. I'll always hold you dear, no matter how close together, or far apart."_

"Taleah! Shut that thing off already! You are going to be late for school."

Taleah sighed and brushed away the tears that flowed freely from her cheeks. She loved that movie. It was her favorite. She watched it everyday before she went to school. Her mother just didn't understand; she thought it was like any other romantic comedy. But Taleah knew that it was different. _Love Ties _had character, and spunk. It had twists and turns, and a surprise ending. Of course, Taleah was the only one who liked it. (Her parents having fallen asleep the first time they watched it after the second scene). But she didn't mind. She liked having something all to herself.

At that thought, she touched her bracelet. She had owned it since she could remember. It was very special to her. Never took it off once. It always seemed to be there for her, like her only friend was supposed to be, but so often not. It seemed to grow warm when she was sad like a reassuring hand, and light and springy when she was happy, like It shared her joy. It never broke. Once, Taleah had gotten it stuck in a washing machine, (a tale she did not like to reflect on), and It had come out just fine. But the thing she loved most about It, was that It looked like no other. It was clearly ancient, and had beautifully carved intricate patterns all the way around. In the very middle, was a mysterious eye, unlike she had ever seen. The Object appeared fragile and easy to break, but Taleah knew that it was ever strong. A single ruby lay on the top bordered with what looked like tiny diamonds. Everywhere she went, some person was admiring It and asking her questions of Its origin.

Now out of the front door, Taleah was making her way down the steps when her mother came around the corner of the house, carrying her school backpack.

"You always forget this."

Taleah managed a small smile of guilt. "Lucky me that you always remember it."

Her mother shook her head. "Have fun at school, dear."

Taleah grimaced. _School. The last place I want to be. _It wasn't so much the work that bothered her. It was the teachers. She swore they hated her. They were always glancing in her direction and glaring. They also seemed to give her twice as much school work as the other students. Taleah didn't mind; she liked school work. But that made them even more evil. Mostly, it was because she helped all the other kids out. They all came to her for aid. _No, _Taleah thought, _that's a euphemism for what they really mean me to do. _More often then not, she ended up _doing _ their homework for them. The teachers knew that. That's why they disliked her. And that's why she dreaded going to school.

"Hey, Taleah!"

It was Tae - Taleah's only friend. She loved Tae, dearly, but she had to admit that sometimes her friend was a bit of an air head. Once, Taleah had decided to play a prank on her friend and called her pretending to be a celebrity. Tae believed her instantly and kept ranting on and on about how she was, "Robert Redoe,"'s biggest fan and about how she always wanted to speak with him. When Taleah had told her that it was a joke, and that she was really, Taleah, Tae hadn't believed her. She even _persisted _that Taleah was Robert Redoe. It had taken about two and a half hours to finally convince her that it was Taleah on the other end. But even then, Tae had seemed skeptical. 

"Hi, Tae."

"What took you so long?"

"I was watching _Love Ties," _ Taleah answered. 

Tae giggled. "You do that every morning." She shook her head. "Some things never change."

"Some things do."

Tae raised her eyebrows.

"I only watched it once today."

Tae rolled her eyes.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, just enjoying each other's company. They did that daily. Every day Tae waited for Taleah around the corner. And every day she complained about how late she was. But it wasn't true-both ended up at the school about the same time as everybody else. Nobody took the school bus any more. It was a small town and the school was in the very center; walking distance for every kid.

Their school was almost like a castle. Some even said it had been once. It stood about castle high and was about a castle's width. It also had many rooms and corridors. Some of which were quite easy to get lost in. The very first day Taleah and Tae had gone to the school, they had gotten lost. But they hadn't been the only ones. Half the kids that were supposed to be in their classes winded up being missing. All were found hopelessly lost, walking up and down winding passages and hidden labyrinths. The next day, only a quarter of the kids who had gotten lost the day before were missing. Taleah and Tae were one of the few who decided to go exploring. They were found of course, and excused as just taking a wrong turn. That was, until Tae spoke up,(one of her air head moments), and explained that they had disappeared on purpose. Since then, Taleah and Tae were never absent for class.

"Wow, that's amazing!" one girl cooed.

"You are so brave!"

"No, no. It was just my natural instincts that kicked in. You know, someone's in trouble and on the verge of death so go and save them."

Tae snorted. "I hate him."

"You'd think people would get tired of hearing his story," Taleah agreed. "After all, Simmick has been telling it every day now since it happened three years ago."

Simmick was one of the popular kids. He had been considered a dork by many's standards, until a few years ago when he had pulled an elderly lady from a burning car. Since then, he had become very popular and was even once called an idol. Girls worshiped him. They could listen for hours as he went on and on about how hot it was near the burning vehicle and how he had looked death in the face. They'd gather in circles around him and giggle and touch his earing of which he was equally proud of. Simmick just loved his new found fame. 

Taleah and Tae finished climbing the last few stone stairs of the castle and made a right into their first class of the day-history. The classroom was big-about twice the size of Taleah's own bedroom. It had a rather large desk at one end with Mrs. Timblenook, their history teacher, and approximately twenty different chairs for the students with little built-in desks. Taleah and Tae sat on the far right side like they always did. Not many people were in the class that day. But surprisingly enough, one person who was rarely ever there, sat just a few chairs over to Taleah's right.

As was the way with him, he saw tall and erect; perfect posture always. It was Seto Kaiba. Not only was he the richest teenager in the whole town, but he was also president of his own company that dealt with the newest creations in technology-holographic generators. Of course, that was just one project of many-his company created a wide range of things, all of which only the very wealthy could afford. Kaiba was all over the place most of the time. He was always in some different country on a "business trip," or in his mansion, working on his machines. Even when he came to school, quite frequently one of his employees or fellow business associates would enter the classroom and beckon for him to come with them. Kaiba would then apologize and leave without another word. Which was common for him. He rarely ever spoke and when he did, it was always nasty or cold. He had no friends and as far as Taleah knew, had no family except for his brother.

His, was a strange tale indeed. Seto Kaiba had actually been born into a well respected poor family. His mother died giving birth to his brother and his father died a year later in a car accident. Both brothers were sent to the orphanage where they lived for a number of years. It was said that when Gazubaru Kaiba entered the orphanage looking for a son, (an heir to run his company), Seto challenged him to a chess game. Seto won and Mr. Kaiba was so impressed that he adopted both him and his brother. But it was not the fairy tale ending all had hoped it would be-Mr. Kaiba abused Seto and treated him awfully. That was why, many believed, Seto was so cold hearted. Nobody recalled ever seeing him smile since he had left the orphanage with high hopes. Finally on one ill-destined day, Seto had felt like he had had enough and threatened to push his father off the roof of a skyscraper. Or so, that was what he said had happened. But nonetheless, Mr. Kaiba died of a heart attack and Seto inherited his company.

"Students!" Mrs. Timblenook rapped on her desk. "I would like to introduce you to-now none of that! That is very impolite! As I was saying-Belennia, get your finger out of your nose! Silence! That is better. Now class, this is Bakura, a transfer student. Bakura, would you care to tell us a little about yourself?"

Taleah couldn't see Bakura having a rather large boy sitting right in front of her. _Maybe if I just lean a little ways in that direction, I might hear a little better. _Bakura was now saying something but Taleah still couldn't hear. _A little further. . ._

There was a deafening clatter.

Taleah quickly stood up and rubbed her sore bottom. She picked up her chair and placed it back. Tae mouthed, _Are you okay? _ Taleah nodded. _Now I've done it! Got everybody to look in my way, that is! Leaned too far in the wrong direction._

"Yes, Taleah," Mrs. Timblenook said, "We all know that Bakura is a very nice looking young man. But that doesn't mean you have to fall head over heels for him."

The whole class was a mess of laughter. That was, except for Kaiba. He gave Taleah a critical look and then went back to writing what could only be business papers. 

_Very funny, _Taleah thought to herself. She plopped back into her seat and pouted. She knew the day would only get worse. First would come the pointing, then the teasing, then. . .

"Are you alright? You had a mighty hard fall, I should say."

The voice had come from behind her. It was a quiet voice with the hint of a soft accent.

Taleah slowly turned around. Her eyes met those of who could only by the new transfer student, Bakura. Taleah almost melted staring into his eyes. _They're the most sweetest brown eyes I've ever seen! _But the thing that made him different from any other teenage boy Taleah had seen, was the fact that he had white hair. Beautiful, wavy, white hair that cascaded far down his back.

"Um. . .uh. . ."

Bakura smiled revealing a set of perfect teeth. "I'll take that as a yes."

Taleah nodded and turned back around. _Stupid! Now he thinks that I'm some blubbering idiot! I'll just hide from him. That's it! I'll make sure I stay out of his way._

History class was as boring as ever. Mrs. Timblenook had a very good memory and could recall every little detail of everything that had happened in the last one thousand years. She would ramble on through most of the class talking about certain things of which she would always get sidetracked from and end up telling a story about herself. All the students knew so much about her from that, that they could recite her whole entire life.

The next few subjects were math, science, and social studies. Every one Taleah tried her best to hide from Bakura. But for some reason, he had all the same classes as her and he always sat behind her. Sometimes she would find herself trying to stare at him over her shoulder. A few times he met her gaze and smiled and waved. _What's wrong with me? There's just something about him. Something peculiar. . ._

Yugi Muto stepped out of the men's bathroom feeling very miserable indeed. He rubbed his black eye and sore sides. Today hadn't been one of his better days. This was three times now that he would go home with a black eye. Each different time spaced just so that he would recover from one, and then wind up with another one on the same eye.

He sighed. Bullies loved picking on him because he was short and because they knew he wouldn't fight back. Yugi just wasn't a fighter. He liked and respected peace and could never imagine himself punching someone in the face. As for his other problem, Yugi had been short his whole life. Very short. _Very, very _short. The average height for teenage boys nowadays was around six feet. Although he liked to consider himself four feet tall, Yugi only stood about three feet, ten inches. He was also very thin, all his clothes being at least several sizes to big. That gave all the more reason for bullies to pick on him. To them, it was just another excuse. But Yugi wore his clothes proudly. His grandpa had given him those clothes, and Yugi could never turn down a gift. So despite all, Yugi Muto walked out of the men's bathroom with his head held high.

Most of the kids were walking home by now, school being over and all. So Yugi was feeling pretty certain that he wouldn't run into any more of those bullies on his way back home. That was, he was feeling pretty certain until he heard voices a few yards down the hall. He briefly considered turning heel and running out of there as fast as his small feet could carry him, when he heard someone begging and then being very quiet.

Feeling that somebody was in trouble and needed help, Yugi forgot his fears and ran to see what was going on. He didn't have to run very far before he saw the scene. Joeseph Wheeler and Tristen Taylor, (two of the school's worst bullies), were backed up against the wall and being threatened by Bredigan Bridge, who was by far, the worst bully of them all.

Yugi swallowed. "Is everything okay, guys?"

The three turned their heads to stare at him. Tristen took this to his advantage and ran off crying. Joeseph stood his ground.

Bredigan sneered. "Well, if it's not Mr. Never Had a Growth Spirt. Glad you could join us. Joey and I were just discussing a few things."

"Well if it's alright, Joey can come with me now. We'd best be on our way."

Joey's eyes brightened and he tried to sidestep Bredigan. But it didn't work. Bredigan whipped around and grabbed Joey by the arm.

"I told you already, Mr. Shorty, Joey and I are just speaking about a few things. Besides, he enjoys my company better."

"I think da only person who enjoys ya company is yar mommy," Joey spat, his voice heavy with a New York accent.

Bredigan tightened his grip and twisted Joey's arm around. Joey cried out but didn't attempt anything this time. 

Yugi felt anger whelming up inside him. It was all turned into power and poured into a single object that hung from his neck. It was seemingly gold, and shaped like a triangle or pyramid with a funny shaped eye in the center. Like so many other times, Yugi felt himself changing; becoming taller, smarter, wiser. His voice got deeper and his hair grew pointier. He had become Yu-Gi-Oh, which usually happened when he felt strongly about something or needed advice. A voice spoke to him; a strong, persuasive voice that often gave good counsel. _Stand up to him, _the voice said. _Remain strong and stand up to him._

Bredigan was shocked. He had never seen such a change take place before. The result of his surprise, made him let go of Joey's arm.

Yu-Gi-Oh took it to his advantage and stepped in-between them. "Leave now. You no longer have anything to discuss with Joey. As I said before, he's coming with me."

Bredigan, still confused, quickly saw that he was one against two and ran off shouting over his shoulder, "This is not over!"

Yu-Gi-Oh grinned, happy with himself. _Victory at last. _The presence he had felt, the voice, slipped away back into the Item around his neck and he became himself once again.

Joey slapped his hand hard over his thigh. "Alright! Way da go Yug! Ya showed tha' overgrown dork!"

Yugi couldn't help but grin. "He sure ran awfully fast."

"Yeah. Probably still runnin'!" Joey shook his head in disbelief. Then a thought occurred to him. "Wha' happened though! It looked like ya became somebody else."

"My Puzzle, my Millennium Puzzle," Yugi said, referring to the thing he wore around his neck. I solved It not too long ago and unlocked It's secret. My grandpa found It when he was in Egypt collecting cards. He gave It to me. It's strange, sometimes when I need help or advice or something, I feel this strong, courageous presence inside the Puzzle. It helps me and advises me." Yugi stopped, seeing Joey's blank expression. He chuckled. "It's all rather confusing really."

Joey blinked. "Ya tellin' me?"

A few hours later, despite their past differences, Joey and Yugi sat on top of one of the towers of the school, trading stories, jokes, and just enjoying one another's company.

Joey rubbed his stomach after laughing really hard at a particularly funny joke Yugi had just told him. "Ah, Yug. That one was da duesy." His face suddenly grew serious. "Ya know, nobody's ever done dat for me before. Stand up for me dat is. Ya're da really good pal."

Joey's face flushed a bright red and he stood up and muttered something about having to get back.

Yugi watched Joey as he walked away. And smiled.

It was after school now and Taleah was walking home by herself. It was a beautiful day. The sun shone brightly overhead, vanquishing all the greedy clouds that sought to cover the sky. The air smelt strongly of pine trees. Every house on the block had at least two of them. Taleah loved to stop and admire their beauty. But now she did no such thing. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

She was almost there when she heard, "Let's get him!"

She couldn't help but turn around. And there was Bakura. But he wasn't alone-he had what seemed like all the girls in the whole entire town after him. Taleah even heard one ask for his autograph. She would have normally just minded her own business and walked off, but Bakura looked troubled. He was trying to be polite, but at the same time, trying to put a lot of distance between himself and his admirers. It wasn't working.

Forgetting that she had wanted to hide from him, Taleah took a deep breath and walked up to Bakura who was trying to explain that it was not necessary to have his autograph. 

"Hi, Bakura!" Taleah said, putting on a big smile. "Glad I found you. Come with me."

"Hey, that's not fair!" shouted one girl.

"Yeah, you can't keep him all to yourself!"

"Share him! Or else!" called out on girl who apparently had just stepped out of the shower, (she was wearing a towel and hair net) to join the throng.

"He's mine! He said he liked my earings."

"No, he was just saying that to be polite. He's such a nice guy!"

"He told me that he liked my earings too."

"Mine too!"

"He said he liked my shoes!"

"With your big feet? I don't think so."

"Hey look! They're getting away!"

Taleah had long since grabbed Bakura's arm and was pulling him away at top speed. But the greedy girls were catching up fast. Some even threw their earings and shoes at Taleah and Bakura to try to slow them down.

"This is not working," Taleah said as she continued to run. "We're going to need some place to hide."

Bakura threw his arms up in defeat. "I have never been here before. I would not know of any good hiding places."

"Alright, then this will have to do." Taleah pushed Bakura into a rather large bush and then jumped in herself. They rolled a little ways and then remained perfectly still. No sounds could be heard except for their panting, (they were quite out of breath). No girls screaming and yelling.

"Do you think we lost them?" Bakura asked, straining his neck a little so he could see over the top of the bush.

"Maybe, I don't-"

"I think they went that way!"

"Let's get them!"

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

Taleah clasped a hand over her mouth. "I guess I was wrong," she whispered very quietly. 

"We can't stay here for much longer," Bakura warned. "This is a dead end road right? Yeah. They'll be coming back. Come, follow me. I shall bring you to my place."

"Do you know how to get there from here?"

Bakura grinned. "I said that I wasn't familiar with this road. Not that I was completely and utterly lost."

Taleah grinned also. "Okay, Mate. Lead the way!"

About ten minutes later, traveling through dense wood and stopping whenever they heard the slightest sound, Bakura and Taleah had finally reached their destination. Bakura lived on a long, winding road that was parallel to Taleah's. His home was a small one but very charming. It had lots of little this's and that's that made it even more special. For instance, there was a rather cute bird feeder right outside the front door that was beautifully made and even had a tiny little welcome mat. Inside, the house seemed much bigger.

"I guess we just utilize our space well," Bakura explained. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Sure."

There was a small deck through one of the sliding glass doors in the kitchen. It looked over gorgeous terrain. One could see for miles in every direction. To the north lay the mountains with their white peaks and to the east, if one could look far enough, (over all the tall pine trees), one would see the vast ocean.

"What a beautiful view!" Taleah cried.

"Yeah," said Bakura grimly as he handed Taleah her drink. "Yeah, it is. Too bad I never have anybody to share it with."

Taleah was confused. "What about your parents? You surely don't live alone?"

"My parents are traveling folk, as they like to call themselves. They'd never be happy just remaining in one place. They're all over. Sometimes I can barely even keep track of where they are! I wouldn't mind traveling myself one day, but I still have school to look forward to for many more years." Bakura sighed. "Most of the time I'm by myself. Gets quite lonely it does. My parents are somewhere in Africa now. They just left a few weeks ago. So they should be back sometime around the end of this month. That is, if everything goes well."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Well if you want company, I heard that I'm not that bad to have around." Taleah grinned, mischievously. "But you'd have to put up with me."

"Shouldn't be too much of a problem. But yeah, I'd like that."

"And I make a last good resort," Taleah added, "So if you're really bored and have nobody to talk to, nobody to hang out with, nothing to watch on television, no games to play, nobody left to call, you can always give me a ring or you could come over. I'm sure you're welcome."

Bakura laughed. "Last resort, eh? I don't think so. I think you'd be my first resort."

Taleah blushed. "Alright, if you say so. Why don't you tell me about a few of your own travels?"

Bakura went on to tell Taleah about a certain time when he went to China and was trying to say thank you in Chinese but it had come out wrong and he ended up saying something like, "Die you sucker!" Of course, he hadn't known and was wondering why they were all looking at him funny. Taleah laughed and laughed as he told her of other times when he was in Korea and Germany and Poland and had tripped or said something he wished he could take back. He especially loved to tell about Germany, which he claimed was his most favorite place in the world. He'd tell her about the nice people he met and the wondrous sights he saw.

"Some day I'd like to live there," he said. Then he grew quiet.

Taleah gazed at him dreamily. _His accent is so charming. I could just listen to him talk for hours! _ Which was what she had done.

"Where did you get that?" Bakura asked rather quickly.

Taleah looked into his sweet brown eyes and saw that he was staring at her Bracelet. "I. . .I can't remember. Why?"

Bakura's eyes looked funny. "Just curious, that's all."

Over the week, Taleah and Bakura spent a lot of time together. When they weren't over at each other's house hanging out and having a great time, they were sitting next to each other at school, and during lunch breaks they ate together. Bakura even walked her to school now, (Tae being jealous that Taleah had found somebody new to hang out and completely ignoring her).

_Yup, _Taleah thought to herself, during one particular lunch break, _This is the beginning of a great new friendship._

"Hi, Taleah."

It was Tae.

"Tae! I've missed you!" It was true-life just hadn't been the same without her friend.

"Yeah. Well are you going to introduce me to Mr. Shy over there or not?"

Bakura blushed and stuck out his hand. "I'm Bakura. I've heard a lot about you. Nothing but good things, of course."

Tae looked relieved. "It's nice to know that I wasn't forgotten."

"Of course not!" Taleah said, punching her friend playfully in the side. "So how was your week?"

Tae shrugged. "Same as usual I guess. Nothing new to report. Except that I got an A in math. Can you believe it? I did it without any help from you! Not that I didn't miss your help, that is."

"Well, that's great," said Taleah smiling. "Keep it up. How about, You Know Who? How's that going?"

Tae looked miserable. "As far as I can see, he doesn't even know I exist. He doesn't look at me, not even glance in my direction! He doesn't sit next to me, he doesn't even talk to me!"

"If you'd go over to talk to him I'm sure he'd like you right away."

Tae turned to Bakura for support.

"Sorry, but I have no idea what either of you are talking about!"

"Tae has had a crush on this guy, Yugi, since the fifth grade," Taleah explained. "But she's way too shy to go over and talk to him. They've never even spoken to each other."

"Invite him over," Bakura suggested. "Now, if you'd like."

"I don't know. . ."

Taleah did. "Hey, Yugi!"

Across the room a spikey haired kid turned around. Yugi had purple hair with black streaks and yellow bangs. Surprisingly enough, it went well with his bright purple eyes. He saw Taleah beckoning him over and started walking in their direction along with a tall kid, (of whom he had been speaking to) with a mop of messy golden hair that stuck out in just about every direction.

Yugi's week had went well enough. He and Joey hung out a lot at his grandpa's. (His grandfather was teaching Joey how to duel). Joey was very stubborn and liked making up his own rules, but Yugi's grandpa was very persistent. Yugi found it quite entertaining watching the two go at it, arguing over who was right. Of course, the fights would end up with both rolling around on the floor laughing, or Joey finally giving in and admitting that he was wrong and apologizing.

Even though Joey seemed to put on a tough act, Yugi soon found out that it was all fake. Joey was very emotional mostly because his parents had divorced when he was very young and his sister went away to live with their mother. He hadn't seen her since, but talked about her often. He'd talk about how funny she was when she was little and how brave she must be now. For even though Joey didn't talk about it a lot, he did mention once to Yugi that his sister had a very bad eye condition and that one day she might even go blind. Yugi tried being very supportive for his friend and promised that he would do whatever he could to help. But sometimes it was difficult, for Joey often put up a strong defense, like a hard shell that he kept around his feelings. Other times, Yugi found him hard to be around and difficult to understand. But Yugi would never give up on his friend. He couldn't-wouldn't. As complicated as Joey was, Yugi liked having him as a friend. _And besides, _Yugi thought to himself, _without Gramps and Joey constantly arguing over Duel Monsters, what other entertainment would I have?_

Duel Monsters was a hard game to play. It consisted of a match in which two players faced off in an all out battle that took skill, practice, and strategy. The main battles were waged between incredible monsters each with their own skills and fighting styles. In addition, players could use magic, set traps, and even change the battle field itself. It was a highly complex game, and Joey was learning very quickly.

Yugi was just telling Joey how good he was doing at school one day, when he saw Taleah Dundigan on the other side of the cafeteria motioning him to come over.

"Ya really thin' so?" Joey looked like he was on the verge of tears. "Thanks, Bro."

"I think Taleah wants us to go over there," Yugi said.

"Huh? Oh. Taleah. Taleah Dundigan? Wha's she want?"

Yugi shrugged. "I don't know. Lets go find out." Yugi had always liked Taleah. She was nice, kindhearted. And she helped him with his homework. But when he saw that she was standing next to Tae Gardner, his heart nearly stopped. _Why, I've had a crush on her since fourth grade. I always try to act distant so she'd never find out. What if she knows? Is that why Taleah invited me over?_

Joey strolled over casually. "Howdy Taleah. Whassup?"

"Hello Joey," said Taleah brightly. "How did Mr. Rothe like that science paper I helped you out with?"

"Passed wit' flyin' colors!"

"You're the new student, Bakura right?" asked Yugi.

Bakura nodded. "Yes. That would be me. And you're Yugi Muto."

"Er, hem." Joey cleared his throat.

Bakura appeared to be thinking very hard. "Joeseph something. . .uh. . .Wheel. . .Wheely. . .Whiney. . ."

"Ho, ho!" the blonde cried. "Dat was on purpose!"

Bakura drew back and covered his face with his hands. "Oh, I got it now. You're a Wheeler!"

Joey folded his arms. "Better believe it."

Tae started to laugh. It started with a giggle and then turned into hysterical, uncontrollable laughter. "Sorry! It's just so funny. Ooooooahhhhhh! I mean. . .Wheeler! What a silly name. Congratulations, you're a Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler, here's your prize. Will that be all for you, Mr. Wheeler? You'll have such adorable little Wheelers!"

Everybody was laughing now. Taleah and Bakura were laughing so hard their stomachs hurt. Yugi had to hold onto a table to even stay upright.

"It's not dat funny," Joey snarled. But that just made it worse. By the time they were finished, they were picking themselves off the floor.

Yugi wiped the tears from his eyes. "Sorry, Joey. But that just cracks me up."

"All of us," Tae added.

The five of them sat down at the nearest table. No one was hungry so they just all talked about funny things that had happened to them whether it was walking in on somebody using the restroom to even entering the wrong restroom.

"My uncle used to do that all the time," Tae admitted. "Walk into the wrong restroom, that is. If he was caught, he'd pretend to be blind. It always worked."

"My uncle is da private eye," Joey said.

"Sure Joey!"

"I don't have an uncle," Yugi said.

"Mine is a horse tamer."

Everyone looked up. Tristen Taylor stood behind Joey. He had brown hair that often stuck straight up in some kind of strange mohawk and had very narrow eyes. He wore a long, tan trenchcoat covering his white T-shirt and dark brown jeans. "Scoot over pal."

Joey grimaced. "Go park yar butt somewhere else, Tris."

"Careful, next time I just might sit on you!"

"A horse tamer, huh?" Yugi asked, changing the subject. "That sounds exciting."

Tristen shrugged. "Well if you like horses. Dang scary things if you ask me."

Taleah rolled her eyes. She had always liked horses. "Yeah. With their velvet muzzles and big, bright eyes. Very threatening."

Yugi chuckled.

Tristen's face flushed. "What about you? Do you have a relative that's extremely good at something? What's your family's heritage?"

Taleah's expression grew grim. "Dundigan was an Irish horse thief who stole one horse too many and was going to be hung but somehow managed to escape to America and start a family."

Tae, Joey, Tristen, and Yugi all laughed. Bakura put a hand on Taleah's shoulder. "Mine's not that much better."

There was a pause. It seemed that nobody could think of anything to talk about. Tristen started munching on an apple. Bakura sighed and stretched out his legs. Joey pulled out something from his jacket and started leafing through what could only be a card deck.

"Man, why does Duel Monsters have da be so complicated?!" he whined. Then he placed his deck neatly on the table and put his head in his hands.

Yugi patted his friend on the back. "I think you're doing just fine, Joey. Keep up the good work." Then he noticed that Taleah had her mouth open. Drool started to form in the corners. "Do you play Duel Monsters?"

Taleah realized that she was gawking and closed her mouth. "I have my own deck and all," she replied. "I know most of the rules and a few strategies. But my deck is nowhere near in comparison to Joey's. I saw a monster that had an attack strength of eighteen hundred!"

"My best one," Joey admitted, grimly.

"My grandpa owns his own card shop," Yugi said.

Tae fluttered her eyelashes. "Really?"

Yugi nodded. "Sure. Maybe after school if it's okay, we can all head over there."

Tae appeared so shocked that she looked like she was going to faint. "Sounds great!"

"Taleah?"

"Fine with me."

"My pleasure," said Bakura.

After school, the six of them made their way down to the shop. It was unmistakable-it took up a whole corner. Dazzling beasts and elegant fairies hung from the roof in a fantastic battle scene. Just below were the pink, green, and blue neon letters that red, "Game Shop." Parked right outside was a limousine.

Joey clapped his hands together. "Hey! Check out dat limo!"

"Pretty neat," Yugi commented.

"Oh, man! I've always wanted da ride in da limo. Da front seat!"

Tae cocked her head. "I thought there was only a driver seat up there."

Joey shook his head. "No way. Of course der has da be two seats. An' I've always wanted da sit in one. Feel da air on my face as da car picks up speed. Wave da all da people gawkin' as I ride by. . ."

"He's hallucinating," said Tristen. "Somebody slap him silly and snap him out of it."

"Mine!" cried Joey. "Mine for da takin'!"

Just then, the front door of the Game Shop opened and an angry Kaiba stepped out. Without a word, he threw himself into the limo and it sped off.

"It's gone!" Joey said, sinking to his knees.

"Yeah, well get over it."

The other five walked past Joey who was muttering something about a dream being lost, and entered the Game Shop. The first thing they noticed was the warm, musty smell that saturated the air. Then, the magnificent wood shelves that stood over several feet high and held thousands of different kinds of cards. The whole shop was a rainbow of colors. Posters hung on the wall that showed monsters fighting and princesses being saved. One could stand and marvel at them for hours.

"Hi, Grandpa. I'd like to introduce you to my friends."

Grandpa was an older man in about his late fifties. He had long grey hair in a pony tail and large purple eyes. He had a humbleness about him that made him seem friendly.

"Don't jump da conclusions based on first appearances," Joey, (who had gotten over the limo and had come inside), whispered. "He's really very evil."

Grandpa heard. "I know that I have been hard on you, Joeseph. But I just do what I think is necessary to teach you. You're doing quite well."'

"Ya mean dat, Gramps?"

Grandpa nodded. "Yes, indeed." He turned to face Yugi. "Now my grandson, introduce me to your friends."

"This is Tristen Taylor. This is Taleah Dundigan, Bakura, and Tae Gardner."

Grandpa smiled when he heard the last name, but nobody saw. "So tell me, what can I do for you all?"

"Well first you can explain what that creep wanted," Tristen said.

"Kaiba? It was strange. Very strange indeed. He asked if I had any rare cards. I replied, 'Yes, but it's not for sell.' Then he got angry and demanded that I tell him what it was. When I answered that it was the Blue Eyes White Dragon, the rarest card of them all, he went crazy and begged that I'd let him see it. So naturally, I did. 'I"ll pay any price,' he begged. 'I bet you could,' I answered. 'But like I said before, this card is not for sell.' When I had finally convinced him of it, he made me a deal. He made me promise that I would never part with it and always keep it safe and hidden. 'I do that anyway,' I had said. Then Kaiba turned tail and left. Weird. Very strange."

They all nodded.

Bakura scratched his head. "Wonder why he wanted that card."

"Cards!" Taleah cried. "Of course! Sorry, but I meant to ask you if I could buy a few cards. My deck is not all that great."

"Certainly, dear. In fact, I'm selling a few of my own decks. Would you like to take a look at one?"

Taleah refused kindly. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm one of those who believes in the Heart of the Cards. How could my heart ever live in somebody else's deck?"

"Ah! You are very wise. I too believe in the Heart of the Cards. It's a very powerful thing."

Joey's face looked blank. "Heart of da Cards? Wha's dat?"

Tae giggled.

"Here are a few popular cards that you may want to look at," Grandpa said, pulling a shoe box stuffed full of cards from a drawer behind him.

Taleah's excitement rose. "Wow! Look at all these delightful cards! I want them all. I can't buy them all, of course. But I'll take this one and this one. No, maybe not this one. Yeah. But definitely that one!"

Grandpa chuckled. "Take your time dear. Take your time."

The next day with a drastic improvement of her deck, Taleah was feeling much more confident in her ability to win a duel. She had never won before. She and Tae were always dueling, but every time Taleah lost. _Not this time, _she thought with an evil smile, _I'm going to win this time. _Or so she had believed when she first challenged Tae to a match during their lunch hour. But that belief was quickly diminishing. Despite all the great new trap cards, ideal magic cards, and powerful monster cards she had purchased the other day, Taleah was losing. Bad.

Tristen, Joey, Bakura, and Yugi were standing nearby rooting them on. (That was, Tristen, Joey, and Bakura were taking sides while Yugi cheered for them both). Bakura was undoubtedly on Taleah's side, for whenever she executed a great play, he'd pat her on the back and tell her how wonderful she was doing. Tristen took to Tae's side and every once in awhile, gave her some advice. Then they'd both put on mischievous grins and damage Taleah's chance of winning even more. Joey didn't seem to know who to support-one moment he was telling Taleah which monster card would be the best to play, the next, he was telling Tae what Taleah's strategy was or vice versa. Then he just gave up altogether and claimed to be neutral. Yugi congratulated them both whenever one made a good move.

"Ha, ha!" cried Tae, who was wearing the same evil grin as Tristen, "You lose twenty-four hundred more life points!"

Taleah moaned. "I may be losing, but I'm not giving up!"

"That's right, Taleah," said Yugi. "Believe in your deck."

"Ya mean believe dat her deck will give her another bad card?" asked Joey.

"That's not what I meant at all!"

"I thought you were neutral, Joey," Tristen brought up.

"Doesn't mean I have da refrain from makin' comments."

"Don't listen to him," Bakura advised. "I'm sure if _he _was dueling Tae, he wouldn't have lasted this long."

For the next twenty minutes, Taleah and Tae went back and forth, each robbing each other of their life points. Tae was strong and a brilliant strategist, but Taleah was defiant and determined to win this match.

"Dis is takin' too long," commented Joey. "I'm goin'a go get me a soda."

"Wait for me, pal!" called Tristen.

Bakura yawned. "I think I'll go for a little walk if you don't mind."

Yugi shrugged. "I better brush up on my math."

"Traitors!" yelled Taleah. She turned back to the game board. "Er. Hey! What happened? Why am I missing one thousand more life points?!"

"Pay attention and I'll show you again."

The school bell rang. It usually meant that students had about ten minutes to enter their classrooms until the second bell rang. That one meant that they all had about ten seconds to get back or else.

Kids were rushing by, shoving each other out of the way so as to not be late. But one kid stopped and silently watched Taleah and Tae duel without ever turning to face them. It was Seto Kaiba.

"Just admit defeat!"

"Never!"

"Alright, then I'll give you one more turn. But until then, I play Change of Heart! It's a magic card that allows me to take control of one of your monsters."

"Change of Heart? I've always wanted that card. I love it!"

Tae smiled. "I order Battle Warrior to destroy its fellow companion, Swamp Battle Guard! That takes your life points down to two hundred."

"Alright, I hate it now." Taleah looked at her card deck. _All I have to do his draw a strong monster card. Then it would be all over for Tae. I must believe in the Heart of the Cards. I must believe. . . _She drew a card from her deck and her whole face lit up. "Yahoo! I play Rude Kaiser in attack mode and chose to demolish your Shining Friendship card!"

Tae groaned. "I guess you won this time."

Taleah was so jubilant about winning her first match, that she didn't even notice that Seto Kaiba was still watching. But she did catch a glimpse of him walking away.

"Well at least I didn't lose in front of Yugi," Tae said grimly.

"Great job Taleah! Congratulations!"

Yugi was back. So was everybody else.

"First time for everything," said Tristen.

"Yeah," agreed Joey, whose face was all twisted up like he had just tasted something really sour. "First an' last time I ever try dat _Diet Pepsi."_

"That's not what I mean, genius."

"Genius? Why Tris, dat's the nicest thin' ya every called me."

"How about a-"

"That's enough you two," interrupted Yugi. 

The second bell rang. It was back to school for all of them.

"All necessary arrangements are made, sir."

"Very good. Yes." There was another flicker of something gold. "Carry on with my plan."

"I'll see to that, sir."

~

Flower Petals: For those who managed to read through all of the chapter, thank you! And for those who started to read it and gave up, er! But thank you! Please write a review. It would be really encouraging to know that there's someone out there who has read this. Flames, criticism, and all points of view are respected and accepted.

Thank you!


	2. Acquaintances Part 1

Before I start screeching, yelling, complaining, and crying, I just want to thank Sakurelle and Ry-the Dark Mystical Elf for reviewing! It's nice to know that somebody read all of the first chapter, and lived. Thanks again! I really appreciate it.

Gak! Arrrrrrrrg! I'm sooooo stuuuupiddddd! And pathetic. . .I can't do anything right! The name of this fan fiction is supposed to be Tale Of Shadows, not Tale Of Shadow! And my story summery is supposed to end: Of dark secrets, deep love, _and dangerous magic.. _Which of course, isn't what I put. Arrrrg!

Anyway, this chapter is another long one, sorry! They'll get shorter. This chapter is so long in fact, that I had to cut it in half to avoid torturing my readers too much. A another example of being pathetic. . .

Flower Petals: #Crying all alone in a dark room# Boohoo, waaaaaa!

Taleah: #turns on light and asks cheerfully# What's up sis?

Flower Petals: I'm crying alone in the dark! Can't I cry alone in the dark in peace?

Taleah: #cheerfully# Okay! #turns off light and skips off#

Flower Petals: Alone again. . .sniff. . .Wait, is that pizza? Taleah!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or One Stop Shopping.

  


_Flower Petals_

_Acquaintances Part 1_

  


It was a Saturday . Which meant that while other kids got the day off from school and could go and do whatever they wanted, Taleah had to go grocery shopping. She did it every Saturday. It was her own fault, she knew. I_ wanted so much to prove to my mother that I could be responsible_, thought Taleah as she started making a grocery list_. I fell right into her trap._

"I really am responsible, Mom, really," Taleah had said one day long ago.

"If you want to show me how responsible you are, why don't you do our shopping for us Saturday? And every Saturday after that?"

Taleah had answered very quickly without even thinking of the consequences. "Yes! I'll do that! Of, course!." Now she knew just how stupid she had been that day.

"Is the list done, sweety?"

"Yes, Mom. I'm going out now."

"I want to talk to you about something first.

Taleah turned to find her mother blocking the only exit. Her mother was very tall, and looked very intimidating. But she was very friendly, and her outgoing personality put people at ease. Like Taleah, she had long brown hair and dark brown eyes that always had a twinkle of laughter in them. But today, no such twinkle could be seen. She even had her hands on her hips. That usually meant that Taleah had done something wrong.

"Honey, I couldn't help but see you walking home last night with that rather large group of kids. You're not in a. . .gang are you?"

Taleah burst out laughing. "A gang? No way! You know me better then that."

Mrs. Dundigan didn't look relieved. "Your father and I are worried about your safety. Do you trust all these kids?"

"Mom! They're my friends. They wouldn't hurt me. Never! You don't have anything to worry about. I promise."

Mrs. Dundigan seemed satisfied. "Then go shop my responsible little girl."

Taleah winced.

Once outside, she folded her list and tucked it in her back jean's pocket. It was another beautiful day. Just the right temperature. Birds were singing their lullabies and bees were dancing joyfully amongst the flowers.

Taleah sighed. Her friends were seeing a movie today. Without her. Yugi was the only one nice enough to offer to help her shop. But she knew that he had just been acting kind and considerate_. They're at the theater right now, watching Dumbledwarfs. I'm sure they'll tell me all about it when they get back. _Taleah smiled to herself. She thought it had been nice just having one friend. But now she had a whole bunch. Not that numbers mattered. She just felt glad to be apart of something-a group. A group of friends.

She kept that smile all the way to One Stop Shopping and even inside the front doors, but after that, no trace of it could be seen. It was business now.

At the top of the list were all the fruits and vegetables she needed to buy. Then were the canned foods, then the dairy products, and so on. Taleah grabbed a cart and started loading it full. _I do have one thing to look forward to_, Taleah thought as she loaded a bunch of onions into a plastic bag, _samples_. Every Saturday and Sunday, One Stop Shopping had lots of samples. Lots. Every aisle had a little stand in front with some friendly woman in a hairnet. That was, they were friendly until you took one sample too many from them. Then they turned evil.

Taleah had just taken a bread sampled that tasted particularly sour, when she noticed a defiant little kid around the age of nine, trying desperately to get a cookie sample but being turned down because he needed an adult or guardian nearby. Seeing that he was all alone, Taleah walked over to the stand.

"I want a cookie!"

"You might get burned," said the sample lady, "and I don't want to get blamed just because you don't have a parent with you."

"I want a cookie!"

"I'll vouch for him," said Taleah.

The sample lady and the boy both turned to look at her. The boy smiled. The sample lady, however, still did not look pleased.

"If he gets burned, his parents can sue me. That okay?"

The boy got a cookie sample.

"Thanks!" he said, his mouth covered with chocolate. 

Taleah laughed. "No problem. But first we should find you some napkins. Otherwise you'll get that stuff all over your shirt!"

"Wouldn't want to do that," agreed the boy. "My brother gave me this shirt."

Taleah went over to the next stand and grabbed a handful of napkins. "Here you go."

"Thanks," said the boy again. Then he added, "You don't have to worry about my parents suing you. I don't have any parents!"

Taleah cocked her head in disbelief. "You don't have any parents? Why?"

"I don't like to talk about it. But I forgive you for asking. I'm Mokuba by the way."

The boy held out a hand.

Taleah froze. Mokuba? Mokuba was the name of Seto Kaiba's little brother. _What is Kaiba's brother doing in a grocery store eating samples? Don't they have enough money to pay a person from around the world to come and give them samples?_

"What's your name?"

"Um. . .uh. . .oh! Taleah. I'm Taleah."

"Oh, I know who you are now. Seto mentions you sometimes."

_ What is that supposed to mean?_

"Hey," Mokuba said somewhat awkwardly. "There are actually some other samples that I'd like to get. But. . .I need an older person with me."

"I'll go with you then," Taleah volunteered. "My shopping is done and I was just going to go get some more of those juicy chicken breast samples, anyway. Do you like chicken?"

"Do like I chicken? Are you kidding? I love chicken!"

Taleah soon found that Mokuba was nothing like his older brother at all. He was funny, and sometimes charming. But it wasn't just that, it was also outside appearances. Mokuba had long, wavy, black hair. Kaiba had short brown hair with a hint of red and piercing blue eyes. He also had a firm chin, and sharp features. Nothing at all like Mokuba who had a cute, cuddly, round face. But they both had the same, deep, scratchy voice.

"Hey, Mojhoopa," Taleah started, but Mokuba shook his head.

"That's not how to pronounce my name! It's Mokuba."

"Makooba."

"No!"

"Mokaiba."

"Wrong!"

"Mokinba?"

"Hardly!"

Taleah let out an exasperated sigh. "Would it be okay if I just called you Mo?"

"Sure I'd like that."

"Um. . .Mo? Are you Kaiba's brother?"

Mo nodded. "I'm a Kaiba."

Taleah gulped. Was Mo supposed to be there? Would his brother get mad if he caught him hanging out at a grocery store?

"I'm up for a few more samples. What about you, Taleah?"

Taleah tried her best not to look worried. "Samples? More? Sure."

"Sometimes sample ladies can be mean."

Taleah relaxed a bit. "Yeah, I agree. Once, I thought I heard one growl at me. Never snuck another sample from her."

Mo nearly choked over his miniature ice cream bar. "Really? I caught one glaring at me. Pretty scary."

They hit a few more samples and were about to circle back and get more of the ones they really enjoyed,when Mo claimed that he heard his name over the intercom of the store.

"What?" Taleah was really worried now.

"They were playing a rock 'n roll tune and then there was a pause and I heard my big brother's voice. He said, 'Mokuba Kaiba could you please come to the front of the store.' That's all I heard."

Taleah panicked_. I just know that Kaiba will be mad at me. _She didn't know why she felt that way, she just did. _What if Kaiba sues my parents? We don't have any money. We're not rich! What if. . .what if. . ._

"Taleah are you coming? Are you alright? You don't look so well."

"I'm f-f-fine."

Together they made their way to the front of the store. The aisles seemed to last forever. There were hundreds of people there, flocking all around. People behind them, in front of then, beside them. They were all loud too. One man had a booming voice and kept complaining that he couldn't find pants his size. Another lady just babbled on and on about nothing in particular. Taleah wished they'd all go away. Especially one-Seto Kaiba. She had, by now, convinced herself that Kaiba was a hit man that was out to get her.

"Seto!"

_ Here it comes. . ._

Seto Kaiba was standing in front of the Help Desk, one hand in his pants pocket in a casual manner, and the other on his large, silver briefcase that he always carried around with him. He looked impatient and kept peering out the exit door. When he heard his name called, he threw back his jacket, (which acted more like a cape), and strutted over to where Mokuba and Taleah stood. (Taleah refusing to go any further).

"Ah, Mokuba. Seems like you've kept yourself busy."

"Yup!"

Kaiba turned to Taleah who flinched as if she was expecting a blow. "I hope my little brother didn't inconvenience you in any way."

Taleah shook her head. She somehow managed to find her voice and said, "It was my pleasure accompanying Mo."

"You must be wondering why he is here."

"That may have crossed my mind."

"Every Saturday I do business next door," explained Kaiba. "Mokuba often gets bored in my offices, and most of the time ends up in this store picking through the. . .samples. . ."

"It's very boring waiting for my brother," admitted Mokuba. "But I enjoyed sneaking samples with you today. Maybe we can do it every week!"

"That's enough, Kiddo," Kaiba said, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You caused enough trouble for her today. Let's go."

"Meet me back here next week?" Mokuba shouted over his shoulder hopefully, as Kaiba led him away quickly.

Taleah couldn't answer. She was too bewildered.

"So anyway, get dis," ranted Joey, "Da guy wa' really only pretendin' to be short. He really jus' walked on his knees! Cool, huh?"

"Sounds like it was a good movie," said Taleah, tucking a wayward strand of her hair behind an ear. "But I still prefer _Love Ties."_

Joey blinked. "Love wha?"

_"Love Ties,"_ Tae explained, "Is a love story that Taleah watches every morning before she goes to school."

"So kind of a daily ritual then," said Tristen.

"Ya're strange," Joey told Taleah.

It was late afternoon near dinner time, and Joey, Tristen, Tae, Bakura, Yugi, and Taleah sat on top of one of the towers of the school. It was a beautiful view from where they sat-the gorgeous blue sky stretching out for infinity. It was peaceful up there, the sounds of traffic and people buzzing by, far below.

It _was _peaceful, however, until Tae brought up what they had all been dreading. "The annual school talent show is coming up. That's kind of scary."

"Annual talent show?" asked Bakura. "Never attended one."

Joey felt the need to explain. "Ya see, Bakura, da talent show is where normal, innocent, kids jus' like ya an' me get tricked into puttin' on humiliatin' performances on stage. And jus' so we can provide the entertainment of da year for all da parents an' teachers. An' so dey can tease us later."

Bakura looked confused.

"So, Joey," said Yugi, "what 'humiliating' performance did you put on last year?"

"I was sick. Didn' go."

"The year before?"

"Sick."

"The year before that?"

"Ill."

"A year even earlier?"

"Flu."

_"Even further back?"_

"Bad cold."

"Joey! You mean to tell us that you've _never _been to a school talent show contest?"

"Contest?" asked Bakura, who was still quite confused. No one heard.

"I get sick every time. In fact, dis time I'm goin' da feel pretty bad too. Yeah. Pneumonia maybe. No. Maybe laryngitis. . ."

"Joey!" everybody shouted.

"I don't have a talent," Taleah murmured.

"Sure ya do," Joey said, "Losin' at Duel Monsters. Ya have da knack for dat."

Tristen elbowed Joey hard in the stomach. "Don't mind him. Just name all the things you're good at."

Taleah couldn't name any.

"You play the violin," Bakura brought up. "Quite well, in fact. You could do that."

"I don't know. . ."

"Then of course," Tae went on," there's the school dance."

Everybody groaned.

"They always put those two close together. Talent show and dance. Just to torture us."

"Who are we all going with?" asked Yugi.

Joey shrugged. Tristen scratched his head. Tae nimbled on her fingernails. Bakura kicked a few pebbles out of the way.

"We'll all go together," Taleah announced. "As a group."

"Good idea."

"Yeah."

"Together."

Kaiba was working at his desk, angrily scribbling a series of numbers on a piece of paper. _Why did that idiot have to screw of the work schedule for the week! Now I have to rewrite the whole thing. All of my associates and employees have been acting odd, lately. Just being kind of careless. But never the matter. I'll whip them back into shape._

Mokuba entered Kaiba's office and started prancing around the large desk chanting, "You promised, you promised, you promised!"

Kaiba ignored his brother. It _was _rather peculiar. _They've all been acting in such a cursory manner. Almost as if they think they don't have to act out my commands. Like something's going to change. Well I'll sure wipe those idiotic thought right out of their feeble minds. . ._

"You promised! You promised!"

Kaiba raised his eyebrows.

Mokuba finally had his attention. He stopped prancing around the table and explained, "You promised that you would consider the idea that I could invite Taleah over sometime."

Kaiba considered his answer carefully. "If Taleah agrees, then I don't see why you can't spend Saturday under her care."

"You're the best! Thank you Big Brother!"

Mokuba came around the desk and hugged Kaiba, who was so shocked at the sudden display of affection, that he almost toppled out of his chair. When he had finally regained his senses, Mokuba was already prancing out the door and down the hall.

Kaiba liked the idea of Mokuba being watched over. Normally, he'd just hang out in one of Seto's main offices, bored out of his mind. He'd play with one of his action figures, doodle with one of his brother's hundred dollar pens, or even just read one of the dozen books from the bookshelves that surrounded every room. But it was all very tortureful for him. Mokuba wasn't the type who could stay still. He was all over the place, constantly moving. Always active. Not the type who'd sit at his own desk and rewrite work schedules, or sit quietly at a business meeting. Kaiba tried to find time to spend with his brother on those days, but whenever he found a break in his unrelenting schedule, something else would come up and he'd be sent away.

Not that he and his brother didn't spend a lot of time together. During the summer, they went on grand vacations to Cape Cod, Disney Land, China, and every other place Mokuba wished to go. Once, after watching the movie, _Indiana Jones, _he had desperately wanted to visit a jungle and go on a safari. Kaiba couldn't turn his brother down, so they had gone. It had turned out to be a complete disaster-Mokuba kept getting bitten by mosquitos, and even obtained poison ivy. He was miserable throughout the whole trip. Kaiba, however, enjoyed his stay at the jungle. So it ended up being an odd turn of events.

Kaiba sighed. _Wonder what Kiddo is going to cook up for us this year. _But then he dismissed his thoughts, and concentrated once again on work.

As the weeks progressed, Joey, Tristen, Tae, Bakura, Yugi, and Taleah did a lot together. They attended movies, went out for lunch and sometimes dinner, sat next to one another in school whether in class or during their lunch break, and spent time at the park; rollarblading, biking, skateboarding, etc.

Taleah enjoyed the times she had with her friends. They were fun to be around, and they made her feel special. Her week was full with exciting new adventures, versus before when she had had trouble finding anything to do at all. She had even convinced her parents that she wasn't in some sort of, "gang," and won their approval of her friends.

Weekdays were mostly spent at school, then afterwards, Taleah and her friends would go to her house and work on homework. When they were finished, they'd go over to Yugi's grandpa's shop or over to Joey's house which they usually had all to themselves. (Joey's father was rarely home).

Weekends were Taleah's favorite, however. She had learned to love shopping, especially because Mo was there with her. The both of them would rush through the store as fast as they could, (Mo often riding in the cart), throwing groceries to and fro. When all the shopping was done, they'd settle down and hit all the samples. Taleah had never expected it, but she and Mo had become good friends. He often confided in her, and told her some of his dearest secrets. In return, Taleah expressed her hopes, and deepest beliefs. They also told each other about dreams they had had, each taking turns trying to analyze one another's dream.

Kaiba usually got finished with his, "business," at four o' clock. He would be waiting by the Help Desk for Taleah and Mo, always precisely at four. Never a minute late. He was still somewhat distant, rarely even saying, "hello," and, "goodbye," to Taleah. He'd just ruffle Mo's hair and say, "Come on, Kiddo." Then they'd leave. Mo though, would hug Taleah before he left. That always put a smile on her face.

Back at school again, the friends were trying to convince Tristen into asking Miho, (who he not so secretly liked), to go to the dance with him. But Tristen was a coward and despite everything his friends said, refused to go and ask her.

"The worst thing she could say is no, Tris," Yugi said. "You have a fifty-fifty chance."

"I know she'll say no. I just know it! I know she'll say no!"

"Alright then," Bakura said, "do you want one of us to ask her for you?"

"Ask me what?"

Miho stood behind everybody, a bright smile on her face. She was very pretty with long, blue hair tucked neatly into a ponytail and deep green eyes. She also had a very shrill, high pitched voice that hurt people's ears whenever she laughed.

"Here you go Tristen," Tae said, shoving him in front of Miho.

"Um. . .uh. . .a . . .dance. . .you. . .go. . ."

"Tristen, I have no idea what you are saying. But I have a question for you. Would you like to go to the dance with me? It's okay if you don't. I'd really appreciate it if you did."

Tristen went bright red. "S-s-sure."

"Great! Hey, what is everybody doing for the talent show contest tomorrow?"

"I'm tellin' jokes," Joey said proudly. "Made dem up myself I did."

"That's talent?" Tristen scoffed. "I've memorized one hundred numbers after the decimal point of pie, (3.14). That's talent!"

Tae shook her head. "Boys. Such silly creatures. I'm going to sing."

Joey stifled a laugh. "Wha'? Da Barney Song?" He cleared his throat. _"I love ya, ya love me! We're da happy family. Wit' a great big-"_

Tristen elbowed Joey in the stomach. 

"Hey dude! Dat's gettin' to be da habit."

"Well keep up those remarks," Bakura advised, "And _I'll _elbow you in the stomach."

Joey didn't look threatened. He was about to retort something when Miho asked, "What are _you _doing Kury?"

Joey and Tristen pinched their faces to stop from laughing. But it all came out anyway.

"Rrrrrahhhhhhh!" laughed Joey. "Dat's so funny. Kury! Haaaaaa."

"Not much better then, 'Wheeler'," answered Tae. "Besides, I like Kury. I think it's cute."

"Cute! Ooooahhhhh!"

"It's a bit embarrassing," Bakura replied, "but you see, I've always loved to dance. Tap dance. I made up my own routine. That's what I'll be performing."

Joey stopped laughing. "Dancin', huh? Dat's pretty cool."

Tristen found it funny, and kept on laughing until Joey elbowed _him _in the stomach.

"I think everybody has their own unique talent," Yugi said.

"What's yours Yugi?"

"I've always been good at math, so I figured I'd solve a few complex equations for the talent show tomorrow."

Miho turned to Taleah. "What are you doing?"

"I'm playing the violin," Taleah said quickly. Then she stood up and left.

Taleah had expected to walk home alone-but she had been wrong. Bakura had convinced her into letting him walk her home. They strolled along causally. Silently. Taleah spent most of the walk staring at the ground, wishing that Bakura would go away. She wanted to be all by herself. She didn't want anybody to know how scared she really was. This would be her second talent show ever. Last year, she had gotten so frightened that she had ran off the stage almost as soon as she had gotten on.

Bakura took her hand in his own. "You'll do just fine. Trust me."

"I wish I had as much faith as you do."

They were at her home now. Bakura made Taleah face him. "Don't worry about it. If you need anything just give me a call. I'll be here as soon as you hang up."

Taleah managed a small smile. "Alright, Mate. See you tomorrow." She watched her friend walk back the way they had come, feeling both a bit relieved and sad that he was gone. She was alone.

"Holding hands now?"

Taleah's mother stood on the porch, her arms crossed. "He didn't kiss you did he? I knew he liked you."

"No, Mom, we didn't kiss. We're just friends. Very close friends. I'd kiss Joey before I would Kury."

"You kissed Joey? I _knew _he liked you."

"No, Mother."

Taleah entered her house, threw her backpack aside, and made her way up the stairs and into her room. It was quiet up there. She was all by herself. That was all she wanted. . .

The phone rang.

Taleah felt a sudden feeling of hope. _Maybe it's the school calling to cancel the talent show tomorrow and all the ones in the future. Ever. There would never be another talent show! _She liked that thought.

"Honey, it's for you," her mother called.

_Could it be one of my friends calling to tell me that there is to be no school talent show tomorrow?_

"Who is it?"

"I don't know."

Taleah rolled her eyes as she headed for the stairs. "Tristen has the high voice, Joey has the New York accent, Bakura has the soft accent, Tae is the only girl that has my phone number, and Yugi has the friendly voice. Now who is it?"

"None of the above."

Taleah found that hard to believe. Her friends were the only ones who had her phone number. And were probably the only ones who would want to call her. Her mother was just confused. Tristen had called the other day and her mother had mistaken him for her husband. That had been embarrassing. She must have said, "I love you," several times before Tristen was able to tell her who he really was. _Yeah, _Taleah thought, _Mom is confused again. I just hope she didn't say anything she might regret later to whoever it is._

Taleah took the phone from her mother, went back into her room, closed the door, and said, "Hello?"

"I presume this is Taleah?"

Taleah froze. It was none of her friends. The voice sounded familiar-it was a sulky, harsh, penetrating voice. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't place it.

"Um, yes-yes it is."

"This is Seto Kaiba."

_ So that's who it is!_

"I'm just calling to inform you that Mokuba won't be available tomorrow or next week. I am sorry if this interferes with any of your plans."

"No," Taleah said glumly. "Those were my only plans."

"Very well then, that is all. Goodbye."

There was a click as Kaiba hung up. Then all Taleah heard was the dial tone.

Saturday arrived sooner then Taleah would have liked. It was a day full of surprises. A day that Taleah knew, she'd remember for the rest of her life.

It started off normal enough. Taleah got up, took a shower and ate her _Captain Crunch _cereal. Then she made a list, pecked her parents on the cheek, (her father had taken the day off), and set out to go shopping. She found it quite lonely without Mo there. She missed his cheery face and mischievous smile. It was even lonelier going through each and every sample stand by herself. When she was finished, she went through the check stand and paid for her items, then walked home.

She was so forlorn and downcast, that she had completely forgotten about the talent show. That was, until her father brought it up close to dinner.

"So, all ready for tonight?" he said cheerfully.

Taleah's heart stopped beating. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her breath came out in ragged gasps.

"Guess you forgot."

"I'm. . .I"m not hun-hungry," Taleah choked out. She ran up the stairs and locked herself in her room.

_I'm going to do bad. I just know it. I'll screw up and never be able to live it down. Oh, why am I even going through with this? It's insane._

"Ta, dear," her mother called, "We're going in a half hour. Do you want to practice before we leave?"

"Good idea."

Taleah went to get her violin. She loved playing her instrument. It meant the world to her. When she was practicing, it was almost like all her troubles seemed to ease away, and finally, cease to exist. It was just her violin, herself, and the notes. Now, she longed for that sense of unity.

"Um, Mom? Where is my violin?"

"Isn't it where you always keep it?"

"No!"

"Don't tell me that you lost it."

"Yes!"

_Calm down, _Taleah told herself. _You'll find it. _As a habit, she touched her Bracelet. It felt warm and reassuring. It helped to combat her anxiety, free her from her fear of failing, restore her confidence, and make her feel a whole let better. _Now about finding that violin. . ._

"Are you dressed in that black dress I told you to wear?"

"Yes."

"As soon as your father grabs the video camera, we're out of here."

"But I still don't have my violin!"

"Well you can't perform without that."

"Duh!"

Taleah heard her father's voice now. "I have the cam, let's go."

"Brent, Taleah doesn't have her violin."

Mr. Dundigan ran a comb over his sleek, bald head as if in denial. "Why, I put that thing in the trunk of my car hours ago."

"Let's just get out of here," Taleah begged.

The Dundigans got to Domino High School early. (The talent show being held at the auditorium where all the school plays were performed). Both Mr. And Mrs. Dundigan took their daughter's hands as they walked her in.

Taleah held her breath. She knew that she should be taking deep breaths and trying to calm herself down and relax, but she was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would either scream, or throw up. Although, she did let out a squeak as she entered the auditorium. The stage was already set for the first performer and quite a few parents were already in their seats.

Mrs. Dundigan took a program that had a list of all the contenders. "Looks like you're the twentieth one."

_Twentieth one! _She'd have to wait that long!

Taleah left her parents without an explanation, (still fearing that something might come out if she was to talk or even open her mouth at all for that matter), and headed into the room where everybody performing were required to stay. Her friends were there. They were practicing, laughing, joking around. _They look so happy without me, _Taleah thought to herself. _They don't need me bringing them down with my insecurities. _So she went back to sit with her parents and wait her turn.

The first person up was an artist, and a pretty good one at that. He painted extravagant and exquisite pictures of a mother goose calling for her young, of ships in a harbor. And he did them all in five minutes. When he was finished, the crowd roared with applause and some even demanded more.

Others weren't so good. One person tried juggling, but kept dropping two of the three apples until one of them finally split open and the audience was sprayed with apple juice. Quite a few people sang. But their skills were nothing compared to Tae's. She sang so beautifully that when her song ended, some people were crying. Taleah couldn't be more proud of her friends. All of them did well. Joey took to the stage like an expert and had the audience bellowing with laughter at his jokes. Bakura put them all in awe with his great tap dance ability. One couldn't watch for very long before they lost track of his feet. Everyone was surprised at how many numbers Tristen had memorized. He just kept spitting them out. Yugi wasn't up until a ways after Taleah.

Taleah was just listening to yet another person sing, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of her teachers motioning her to come over. _My turn is next. . ._

Yugi straightened his tie as he gazed at himself in the mirror. When it was just right, he adjusted the collar of his tuxedo and strolled over to where his grandpa waited.

"Come one, Grandpa. It's almost time to go."

"Ah, not yet my friend. Come over here a second, I'd like to talk to you."

"Sure Grandpa."

Grandpa put his hands on Yugi's shoulders. "Look at you. You're all grown up. Hopefully not all done growing yet, but you know what I mean. You are my grandson and I am very proud of you. You have turned out to be quite the young man. I love you very much. Your parents would have been very proud."

Yugi dropped his head so that he wasn't looking into his grandfather's eyes. "I hardly remember them."

"They were great folk, my dear Yugi. Very well liked. Listen, I'm sorry I don't spend all that much time with you. I'm not the greatest grandfather. But it's just that I have a shop to run and-"

"No Grandpa! You are the best! I couldn't be happier living with you. Sure you're busy, but isn't every parent? I love you too. I couldn't have asked for a better grandfather."

Tears formed in his grandpa's eyes. "You make me very proud," he said again. "I bet other grandparents are jealous that I have such a wonderful grandson. You make me very proud. Very proud."

Yugi hugged his grandfather. For a long time they just stood there, in each other's arms. They were all each other had. When Yugi's parents had died long ago in a freak accident, he had been sent to live with his aunt and uncle. His grandfather, (his mother's father), had gone into a deep depression and for the longest time refused to come out of his room. Yugi hadn't known his grandfather very well, but he had felt sorry for him so every day, he'd visit him. It was because of Yugi that Grandpa had come out of his depression. When all else had given up on him, Yugi had been there. He had shown him the light. Slowly and gradually, Grandpa had recovered until finally, he was back to his old self again. Yugi's aunt and uncle, (being the good people they were), decided to let his grandfather have full custody of him, since he spent so much time over with him anyway. That was how Yugi came to live with Grandpa. How Grandpa was even there at all.

Finally Yugi backed off, somewhat embarrassed. "We really should get going."

"You know what? I think that's a good idea."

His friends were waiting for him when he arrived. Their smiling faces greeted him as soon as he got out of the car.

"Yug!"

"Hi, there buddy!"

"Hello Yugi."

"Good afternoon."

"Hi guys. You're all here early."

"Come on," Joey said, "We'll show ya aroun'. Da snacks are already out, maybe I can sneak ya a cookie. Da ones in da green container are yummy. Look out for da ones in da yeller box, dey have raisons or some other icky stuff. . ."

"Joey!"

Yugi chuckled. "Sounds great guys."

"You go with your friends, Yugi," Grandpa said. "I'll find myself the best seat. Oh, and Joey?"

Joey flinched. "Yeah. . .Gramps?"

"I look forward to continuing your lesson on Duel Monsters starting Monday."

"See ya then." Joey bolted off.

The auditorium was alive with many people and lights as Yugi soon found out. It was wondrously set up. A single light was to shine on the performers while all the others were dimmed.

Yugi was glad that he had a chance to practice. And that he was around his friends. They made him feel much more comfortable about the whole thing. And in turn, he tried his best so assure them that they'd do fine whenever one of them went on the stage. When they came off, he told them how wonderful they had done. Time seemed to whiz by until at last, he was up.

"Good luck, Yugi," whispered Tae.

"Kick some math problem's butt," Joey said giving him the thumbs up signal.

Yugi stepped onto the stage. It was much brighter then he had originally anticipated, and there seemed to be many more people. When the lights were dimmed though, he didn't have to squint any more. He took a deep breath and announced, "I will be performing a highly complex math problem all without paper. My math teacher, Mr. Belroise, will be providing the problem. I have never seen or heard it before."

Mr. Belroise came onto the stage and the audience applauded politely. He bowed once then faced Yugi.

Yugi's act started with Mr. Belroise asking him to find the value of x in an equation that took a few minutes just to say. _Mmm, _Yugi thought, _toughy. _His mind quickly broke it down into simpler terms, then singled out x. Within seconds, Yugi had an answer.

"X equals: forty-three time y, minus that of p over z tripled, times the square root of thrirty-nine y squared."

Mr. Belroise took out a calculator from his jacket. The audience laughed. But then they held their breaths as he calculated. "The answer is correct!" The crowd cheered and whistled.

Yugi beemed. He had done just fine. He shook his teacher's hand and strode off the stage. Once again, his friends were waiting for him. But it was Tae that he walked up to.

"Well?"

"I thought you were fantastic." With that, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

Taleah was up on the stage. In one hand she held her violin, with the other, she clenched her bow. Any second now she would be expected to play. The audience was waiting patiently as she gathered her courage. She could see her parents smiling and waving at her. Her friends were doing the same. She also spotted Mo in the audience, sitting next to Kaiba who was glowering and had his arms crossed. _Must have payed the principal so he didn't have to perform,_ Taleah thought to herself. _Rich people. . ._

In one extremely time consuming moment, Taleah placed her violin on her shoulder and put the bow on the strings. _G, D, A, E, _she recited to herself. _Now just play. . ._

The audience was so surprised that she had finally began playing, that none heard how much her opening note was out of tune. Or the next few. Taleah was so nervous, that she didn't care what note she played or on what string. But then the music began to sink in. The song she was playing was _Sakura; _her favorite. She had played it so many times, that all the different rhythms and finger patterns were embedded in her head. Her fingers started moving automatically and her pitches started to improve. Soon, her bow was flying over the strings and the tune of the song could finally be heard. It was a sad, wistful kind of music, and Taleah played it well. She ended the song with one grand chord. The audience was alive with noise as they cheered for her. But Taleah heard none of it.

She was convinced that she had played awful. _How can they just stand there and look so happy? They should be grasping their ears and complaining about how awful I sounded. _At that thought, tears formed in her eyes and she ran off the stage.

Joey, Tristen, Tae, Bakura and Yugi were ready to congratulate her. They hadn't expected that she'd run off right past them and out of the school. Or that she'd sit on the steps outside, feeling sorry for herself.

"Taleah, wait!" Yugi started, but Bakura shook his head.

"Let her go. She needs to be alone."

_I knew that I would screw up. I just didn't know that I would do that bad. I've never been good at the violin. Why did I agree to play it tonight, anyway?_

Taleah sat outside on the stairs that lead up to the entrance of the auditorium, staring at the ground which lay quite a few stairs down, with a miserable expression. The night was a cold one. It was a clear sky, therefore having no clouds to trap in the heat. The stars shone brightly ahead and the moon cast down its solemn gaze.

She could hear the person who was performing now. He was singing, and although he wasn't as good as Tae, he was still pleasant to listen to. It was a rock 'n roll song that had a good beat. Taleah soon found her feet beating in rhythm with the music. She started to snap her fingers. She couldn't help it-it was catchy.

"Taleah, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Taleah jumped about ten feet into the air and landed on her rear near the bottom of the stairs.

It was Kaiba.

"Yeah. Well, no. Well. . .yes. . .no. . .not, I mean. . .What are you doing here?"

"I saw you run off. I thought that there might be something wrong. Am I mistaken?"

Taleah brushed the tears off her cheek. "No. I'm miserable because I played miserably and I should be left alone to my misery."

Kaiba came down a few stairs. The moon reflected off his silky brown hair. "You were not bad. I mean, sure, there were a few technical difficulties-a squeak here and there. A few minor discrepancies. But that is not much."

"You don't understand," Taleah said as she stood up. "I always goof everything up. I couldn't do anything right to save my live! Tonight, I don't know. . .maybe I thought I could achieve the unthinkable and put on a perfect performance. I was wrong. I'm always wrong. Nothing I do is ever good. I can't even cook! I can't whistle, sew, clean, (my room is always messy), dance, sing, play the violin, play anything for that matter! I just. . . I just. . ."

"I believe you to be wrong. I think that you could do any of those things if you tried."

_His harsh voice is almost soothing. I can almost believe every word he has said. But I won't. They're all lies._

"I don't know why I expect anything of myself," Taleah continued. "I'll just fail everything."

"If you have that kind of attitude, then yes."

"It's inevitable! I can't keep from failing."

Kaiba grew frustrated and angry. "Fine if you want to sulk in your own self pity." He straightened. "I am through offering you my condolences."

As Taleah watched him leave, she realized it was suddenly very cold and lonely on the stairs by herself.

Listening closely, she could hear the school principal making some sort of announcement inside. The talent show was over. _For this year anyway. I better go back inside-they'll be handing out awards. Not that I deserve any. . ._

"The award for the most daring," said the principal who was a short, sturdy man with a mustache and crooked grin, "Is Groody Baer who almost swallowed fire, but choked."

The crowd laughed.

Groody was a big, tough kid who was missing half of his permanent teeth. "Thanks!"

"The award for the silliest," he continued, "is Edward Payfree who lost his apples."

And so it continued. (Everybody got an award because the principal was a nice man and didn't want anybody to feel left out). There were awards for the tallest, smallest, wisest (which Yugi got), and much more. Joey got an award for being the most funny. Tristen got an award for shushing the audience because they had been in such awe. Bakura got an award for having the fastest feet ever. Tae was the only one who actually got an award for being the most talented. Taleah, who was last because she had come in late, patiently awaited her award.

They were gold trophies, each about five inches tall. They showed a picture of a man with his arms stretched up high as if trying to reach the sky. Taleah couldn't see them very clearly, but her turn was almost next. Then she'd get to see them up close. But as the principal approached her, his brow grew wrinkly as he frowned.

"That's strange. It appears that we did not count correctly. We seem to be missing one. Did we miscount?"

One of the teachers from the audience stood up. "No, there are thirty-six performers. And according to my calculations. . ."

"Oh wait!" said another teacher. "I forgot to count the new transfer student. The arrangements were made far before he arrived. So there are really thirty-seven people."

"But that means we don't have a prize for Taleah Dundigan," the principal said sadly. "Sorry young one. But here, you can have this. . ."

The principal took off one of his pendants from his coat and put it in Taleah's hand. "Take this, dear girl. Your effort deserves something."

The audience applauded.

"Now, if you'd so kindly join us, we have snacks in the lobby. This is your chance to meet and congratulate our performers. Thank you all and have a safe drive home tonight."

Taleah didn't feel like celebrating. She had long since thrown the stupid pendant that had said, "Number 1 Principal," away in the nearest garbage can and was trying her best to hide in the darkest corner. It was easy to make herself look small-there were so many tall people that Taleah, (who was of average height), could barely be seen. But her parents found her nonetheless.

"You did great!"

"Oh honey, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks, Mom. Dad. Say, I think everybody is flocking around your yogurt treats, Mom. Can you go and get some for me before they're all gone?"

Her mother and father hurried off. Taleah sighed with relief. She was alone now. She just wished that she was alone and invisible. . . 

~

Flower Petals: Wow! It's finally over. Expect the second half soon. For those who managed to suffer through it, anyway. For those who gave up, don't blame ya! I did several times when I was typing it. Anyway, please review. I don't care what you think of it, how much you've read of it, or what you write, I want a review! Please?

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Acquaintances Part 2

Howdy, this is Flower Petals here. Before I start talking and can't stop, thank you everyone who reviewed! And a special thanks to Sakurelle, and my sister. Sakurelle, you are right! I have been spelling, "Tea," incorrectly. Thanks for pointing it out. I've already typed it too many times wrong though, so I'm going to keep writing it this way. But for my next fan fiction, I won't make the same mistake. Thanks reviewers!

Another long chapter. Next one is going to be shorter. I promise! Anyway, please read. Each long paragraph is very important and contains something that I guarantee will be brought up later. So don't miss any of it! I never write useless words.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, the gym, or Taleah's dress. (Until I can think of a clever way of stealing it from her, she does and still will!)__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Acquaintances Part 2_

  


Kaiba saw Taleah's misery. She just sat in her own little corner, cradling her knees. He had been quite shocked when she hadn't gotten a prize. She really did deserve one. Maybe having a trophy would make her feel better.

If he wanted to, Kaiba could have just slipped away from the mob of people everywhere and go unnoticed. But he couldn't leave his brother alone. The problem was, he didn't know who to leave Mokuba with. _Kiddo can't come with me. I'll just have to find somebody. Somebody at least. . .pleasant._

Kaiba didn't trust anybody except for his brother and himself. He couldn't even trust his own business associates. At any moment they could turn on him. Not that they hadn't before. But that was another matter.

He really didn't know any of his classmates well. He was rarely ever at school! Although, even if he _had _the time to get to know those people, he wouldn't. He wasn't the sociable type. He had long since given up to that fact. He would live a lonely life. But he didn't care. He had his brother and his company. That was all that mattered. But the problem still remained-who would watch over Kiddo?

_Taleah's friends would be a good place to start. If she trusts them, then I"m sure that Mokuba will be safe with them. _There was Joey, but Kaiba had a strong dislike for him. Tae maybe, but he didn't think she was the responsible type. And then of course, there was Bakura, and Yugi. (He had counted Tristen out right away). Bakura was too mysterious, and Kaiba didn't like that. Which left Yugi. Yugi Muto. Kaiba had no other choice.

Yugi was easy to spot out with his pointy and originally colored hair. He was talking with Tristen. "Hey, Yugi Muto, may I ask a favor of you?"

Yugi turned. "Oh, hi Kaiba. I didn't expect you to be here. Favor? Sure."

"Could you babysit my brother for me while I'm gone? I will not be all that long."

Yugi smiled. "That won't be a problem at all. Say though, where _is _your brother?"

Kaiba sighed and gestured over to the snack stand. "I'm afraid he's gotten into the brownies. In a moment, there won't be any left."

"I better go get him then. Mokuba! Hey, Mokuba!"

_At least he's in good hands. It just isn't safe anymore. Especially with the Big Five acting so peculiar. . ._

  


The trophy shop was no more then a few blocks away from the school. It was a tall, pointy building made of bricks. A single sign shown brightly with faded out neon colors, saying, "Open 24 hours."

Kaiba knew the owner of the trophy shop personally, having once had the man as an employee. Though, it had been short lived. For Gazoo was a greedy man, always out to cheat people. Which was one of the reasons why he didn't get all that many customers. Besides the fact that no sells were ever going on and the price of his trophies doubled every week.

"What can I do for you, Seto Kaiba?" asked a sly, sweet voice.

"Ah, Gazoo. Long time, no wish to see."

Gazoo flashed a toothless grin. "I see that your sense of humor is still intact. Still kind of dry though, you should work on it."

"Having a lot of business, lately?"

The usual-a customer here and there. But they're getting smarter. Becoming more cunning then me!" Gazoo coughed. "Anyway, enough talk. My hands are eager to get a hold of your money. So what will it be?"

Kaiba peered around the store. Lines of trophies were stacked on top of decaying shelves. But none of the trophies were what he was looking for. They were all old tennis, or softball, or baseball trophies. Common ones that could be found anywhere.

"Could I have one specially made?"

Gazoo's eyes widened. "Of course, my dear boy. But that's going to cost you extra."

"Very well. I'd like one made out of gold with a marble bottom. And, I'd like to have particular words put on. Can you have that done, or am I wasting my time?"

"Anything can be done with the right amount of money, Yes, that would all be quite easy. I expect you want this done before you leave tonight? That's why you're here so late. Ten bucks every half hour, not including the price of the trophy itself."

"You are a conniving creep. But I shall pay what you ask. Just have it done in less then an hour."

"Less then an hour! Then I will raise my price to thirty dollars every twenty minutes. Okay? _Yes? _More desperate then I thought. Who is this for, anyway?"

"None of your business," Kaiba snapped.

"Touchy stuff? Must be a girl. I was wondering when you'd get into that kind of stuff. How old are you? Sixteen? Seventeen? And you still don't have a girlfriend. Never have. Too busy for girls, or are there just too many and you can't decide? Some people say they're married to their work. With you, I believe it." Gazoo took out a metal platform and started beating one end up with a hammer. "So what's she like? Is she a blonde? Always had a soft side for them, I did."

"I refuse to listen to any of this."

"Do you want her to know of this? Or is this going to be a surprise? Yes? We shall see about that. She a brunette?"

For the next thirty-two minutes Kaiba endured Gazoo's teasing until at last, the trophy was made. It was far more special then any of the others. This one was of a girl playing a golden violin. Her face was neutral, but right away one could tell how beautiful she was with her flowing hair and perfectly shaped face. She had delicate fingers grasping the bow and tiny, feet in luxurious shoes. That was how Kaiba wanted it. That was how he got it.

When he had finally left the trophy shop, it was already a few minutes after eight 'o clock. Taleah might have already left. Which brought up a new situation. Kaiba didn't want to just stride up and hand it to her. He didn't want her to know that it was from him. There was only one place he could put it so that she'd find it. But if she had already left, it was too late.

He broke into a run. Luckily, there weren't any cars out so he could cross the road freely, without delay. A few minutes later, he reached his destination. Climbing over a fence, he jogged up to where he thought was a suitable place and placed the trophy down. Then he gazed at it one last time and made his way back to the celebration that he could only hope was still going on.

Taleah went home miserable. She had hid the whole time. It had worked-nobody had seen her. She caught her friends looking for her, but they soon gave up and celebrated as well. When her parents had found her again, they saw how unhappy she looked and decided to drive her home. The ride back was quiet one. For Taleah anyway. Occasionally, her parents would make comments to each other like, "Did you see that one person, what was his name? He was fantastic," and, "It was so funny when. . ." and so on. Taleah didn't say a word. She just wanted to get back into her room. Her safe room. Then she could turn out her lights, and stay awake all night soaking in her tears.

"We're home, honey."

Mr. Dundigan licked his lips. "I didn't get to have any of that yogurt stuff, do we have any ice cream instead?"

"Men," Mrs. Dundigan said, shaking her head. "They're such children. Yes, we have ice cream. As soon as I find my keys which are. . .are not in my purse! Brent, what did you do with my keys!"

"What keys? Oh, the house keys? I don't know, you had them last."

"I did not. You drove home. The keys were in the ignition while you were driving. You just turned the car off a few minutes ago. The keys don't have tiny little feet. They can't just get up and walk off!"

"I don't have the keys."

Taleah walked off. She couldn't stand it anymore. Normally, she would have enjoyed their confusion. (Her parents were usually very funny to listen to). But tonight, she didn't feel like she deserved to be happy.

She trod up the stone path that lead to her house, looking down at her feet. Before long, she was walking up the steps of the front porch. Then, something caught her eye. Something seemingly gold. Taleah raised her head and peered closer. Sure enough, there was something trapped in-between the screen door and the front, wooden door leading to her house. _Is it a yellow bug that got stuck? _But further observation let her to the fact that it certainly, wasn't a bug. It was a trophy. A beautiful golden trophy. The prize she hadn't gotten. It was of a girl playing her instrument. Near the bottom carved into marble were the words, "Number 1# Violinist."

Taleah was crying. But not because she was sad. Oh no, she was extremely thankful. Who had given her such a thing? Her friends couldn't have; they had still been at the school when she had left. Her parents wouldn't have had the money to pay for something like it. Then whom? Whoever had given it to her, had had to have been at the talent show. There was just no other explanation. She started searching over the trophy, looking for answers. She got one. At the bottom of the trophy there was a sticker that read, "KaibaCorp." Kaiba's company. She smiled. Suddenly, a night full of soaking in her own tears didn't sound pleasing. She quickly hid her prize in her coat and went to go see if her parents had found the keys or not.

  


Yugi watched with amazement as Mokuba devoured his fourteenth brownie. Seeing that there were none left, the child began to lick his fingers and the palms of his chocolate covered hands in an attempt to finish off the brownies. When all but the smell of what had once been remained, Mokuba fixed his hungry gaze on a platter of frosted cake.

"Mokuba, save some snacks for other people," Yugi advised. "Other people," also counting himself, for he hadn't been able to get any such deserts yet.

The little boy placed his hands on his hips and glared up at Yugi. "Nice try. There's no one else here. They've already left! Now, step away from the sugar cookies."

_Mokuba is right, _Yugi thought. _Everybody is gone. The only reason we're still here is because Kaiba hasn't showed up yet. Where is he anyway? I hope he comes soon-I won't be able to fend off Mokuba for much longer!_

It was late-approaching the midnight hour. The only ones left at the school building were a few teachers cleaning up, the janitor, and Yugi and Mokuba. Grandpa had been there, but because the Game Shop was open early the next day, Yugi had sent him home to get his rest. All Yugi's friends had left. And the teachers looked like they were about to as well. It was past all their bed times. Except Kaiba's, of course.

"Step away from the sugar cookies," Mokuba repeated, his tone sounding threatening. 

Yugi sighed. There was no point in arguing with the kid-he had too much of his brother in him. _What's that Grandpa always says? Oh, right. If you can't beat them, join them. _"Alright Mokuba. But only if you give me one."

"How about one and one quarter of another one?"

Yugi laughed. "Sounds like a deal."

The younger Kaiba began stuffing his face full with as much sugar cookies as would fit in his mouth. "Yummy."

"You sure have a large appetite for such a skinny thing," Yugi observed. "I'd have thought you'd be a blimp by now."

"I burn it off chasing my brother around the house, annoying him," Mokuba said, happily munching away.

Yugi tried to picture Seto Kaiba in his expensive attire holding his silver briefcase and running all over his mansion, but he couldn't. Kaiba's brother on the other hand. . .

"Come Kiddo," said a shadow as it approached. The voice sounded weary, as if the speaker was exhausted.

"Coming," chirped Mokuba.

"Did everything go okay?" Yugi asked Kaiba.

"Yes," the young man answered sharply, still hiding in the shadows. "I appreciate what you have done for me. Good bye now."

Mokuba waved to Yugi, his hands full of stolen sugar cookies. "Bye, Yugi!"

At the door, Kaiba stopped somewhat reluctantly, and turned back to face Yugi. "You need a ride?"

"Sure! Thank you very much." Yugi slid off the table and began walking over to the Kaiba brothers, when he realized that he hadn't gotten a snack yet. "Oh, wait!" He quickly ran back and reached for a brownie, forgetting that a little monster had already eaten them all.

  


A lot happened over the following week. Maximilian Pegasus, multimillionaire, president of the company, Industrial Illusions, and creator of Duel Monsters, announced that he was having a grand contest on his island and that duelists from all over the world were invited. People at Domino High School were going crazy. They all wanted to take part in the contest. Some didn't even have any Duel Monster cards. So that week, Yugi's grandfather got a lot of new customers. 

Bakura's parents were delayed even longer then they had expected, which made him very sad. He hadn't seen his parents in awhile and to make things worse, he had also found out as soon as they did come back, they'd be heading out again. Taleah kept him company alot. She was always having him over at her house. But it didn't change the way he felt.

Yugi and his grandfather were too caught up with running their business that had just become very popular, to spend much time with anybody. Joey helped too, and before long, Grandpa was not only teaching him how to play Duel Monsters, but also how to work a cash register. Whenever Taleah came over to visit, all three were all over the place; helping customers, stocking shelves, cleaning, and much more. They hardly even had enough time to say hi.

Tristen was busy fretting about the school dance that was to take place that Saturday. Taleah found him difficult to be around.

She found herself spending most of her time in Tae's company. They'd hang out and talk about what they'd be doing that summer, or sit quietly each reading a book. The day of the dance, they had made special plans to go last minute dress shopping. (Taleah's parents had given her the day off grocery shopping).

"I don't need a dress," Taleah protested, stubbornly. "I'm just going to wear my black dress. The one I wore to the talent show."

Tae shook her head. "I don't think so. No, girl, you're coming with me. We're going shopping!"

  


The mall, surprisingly, wasn't very busy. Taleah and Tae visited a few shops, but found nothing. After looking for about forty minutes, they sat down and ate an early lunch.

"You're such a tomboy," Tae told Taleah as she chewed her pizza.

Taleah nodded. Everybody said that about her. It was true, however. Taleah loved to wear her old, beaten up, jeans and T-shirts. She never had her hair up. Not even in a ponytail. She did wear a little makeup though, but just a little face powder and some chap stick. The truth was, Taleah just didn't care about her appearance. Which drove Tae crazy.

"Don't worry, I'll find you the perfect dress. Something like mine maybe."

Tae had already bought herself a deep, blue sapphire dress that made her look like a princess whenever she put it on.

"Yeah," Taleah agreed. "Except, maybe a little less frilly. I mean, it looks good on you. I just can't picture myself with all those sashes and ribbons. And maybe a bit longer, and less-"

"Less like a dress?" Tae interrupted. 

Taleah through her arms up in defeat. "I don't understand why I can't just wear pants to the dance. Sorry, unintentional rhyme. Why do I have to dress up? It doesn't matter what I wear, I'm still going to be dancing."

"Dressing up is half the fun of going to a dance! Because for one night, you get to feel special and exceptionally beautiful."

"Speak for yourself," Taleah muttered under her breath.

"Follow me, let's get you a dress."

  


Taleah must have tried on several dozen dresses before Tae had claimed that she had found it-the one. With all the others, it had been, "Too short," and, "Not your color," and, "Too dull," and, "Too flashy," and several dozen other comments. None of which were very encouraging. In fact, Tae had been just about ready to give up, when Taleah had come out of the dressing room wearing a yellow, strapless, form fitting, gown that had shining crystals carefully embroidered along the top just above her chest. About three quarters down, the gold color ended and in its place, was a cascade of white, sparkly lace. The dress was almost completely backless, save for a few spaghetti straps crisscrossing here and there.

Taleah sighed. "I know, it's just okay and we should keep looking." She turned to go back into the dressing room, when Tae stopped her.

"No wait! Uh. . .um. . .I can hardly talk. That dress. . .it's just so beautiful."

Taleah looked skeptical. "Really? I thought you said, 'Looks like a golden piece of junk,' when you took it off the rack."

"Did I? I forgot. It's you-you make the dress look beautiful."

"Then can we stop shopping?" Taleah asked, now rather excited.

Tae wiped a tear from her eye. "Yes. We have it-we have the one."

"Home we go!"

"Not so fast. We still have to do something about your hair."

"Er."

  


A manicured, pedicured, tangle cured, Taleah walked into her home hours later, feeling quite refreshed. She even had her hair done in a dainty bun with some of her bangs coming down to frame her face. She felt ready for anything. Ready to take on the dance floor.

"Taleah, do you even know _how_ to dance?" her mother asked her.

Taleah didn't feel ready for anything right then. She had never danced before. She hadn't gone to any of the other school dances. Sure, her mother and her sometimes boogied to a particular song, but that wasn't the kind of dancing she wanted to do in front of a whole bunch of people.

"No."

"Your father will teach you," Mrs. Dundigan decided.

Mr. Dundigan looked up from the newspaper he had been reading. "Wha?"

"Teach her how to dance. You used to be quite good. Show her a few of your moves."

"That was a long time-"

"Ha!" Taleah's mother interrupted, "do it. Or do you have something else to be doing?"

Mr. Dundigan stood up. He flexed his arms and legs. "Alright, first, let's start with the basics."

"This should be good," Mrs. Dundugan said, sitting down on a chair and sipping her coffee. 

"Put your hand here," Taleah's father instructed. "Always have your right foot in front of your left. Good. Now, take a step forward, good. Backward. How about a twirl? Excellent. A dip? Whoa!"

Mrs. Dundigan laughed, nearly spitting out her coffee. "You two are so cute together. I'd like to see that dip again. Taleah, you're taking to this like a natural."

"Ow! That was my foot."

"Sorry, Dad."

Mr. Dundigan spun his daughter and she twirled and twirled and laughed and laughed. When she got dizzy going one way, he'd spin her in another direction. When she got tired of twirling altogether, she began to spin him.

"My turn," Mrs. Dundigan said.

Taleah watched as her parents danced. They started off dancing like she and her father had. But then they grew quiet, and it seemed to Taleah that they wanted to be left alone. So she went to get ready for the dance. Joey's father was picking her up and she didn't want to be late.

  


"Why can't we go?" Mokuba asked. "It's not like you don't have a suit. It's me who needs one."

Kaiba sighed. "You don't understand, Kid. We just. . .can't go. . ."

"Is it business? It's always business. Why didn't you say so, Bro? Hey, where are we going?"

"Grab your coat Mokuba, we're going out."

"Tut-tut. Not without a license you aren't."

It was their butler. He was an older, friendly man who had practically raised both Kaibas and was always looking out for them.

"I'll do what I want," Kaiba said, defiantly.

"Not with me around. There are rules, Mr. Kaiba, which even you must obey. _I _am driving."

Kaiba pursed his lips.

"Now, where to?"

"Down to my plant. I'd like to see how things are going down there."

  


Much later, Mokuba and the butler were sitting in the waiting room, listening to Kaiba reprimand his employees for being disloyal. The butler was busy reading a magazine. Mokuba was staring at the clock. A quarter to six, it read. _Fifteen minutes until the dance starts, _Mokuba thought. He twiddled his thumbs and whistled, "Off to work we go." _Ten minutes until the dance starts. _

The butler put down the magazine he had been reading, and grabbed another entitled, "Good Recipes for Good Cooks."

_Five minutes. Where is Seto? How long can you yell at somebody before your voice runs out? Obviously a long time._

It was six 'o clock.

The butler was still reading and Seto was still arguing. Mokuba was growing restless. He was missing the dance! Was he the only one who even cared?

It was now ten minutes after.

"That's it!" cried Mokuba, springing to his feet. "I cannot stand it anymore! I am going to the dance if I have to walk!"

The butler folded his arms. "By the time you got there, the dance would be long over."

"I hate you. Why do you have to be so logical?"

"I have to obey your brother, you know that. No matter what his commands are, most of the time, I don't have a say and have to along with him. I understand that you want to go to this dance. I think Mr. Kaiba does too, he's just making up excuses. 'I want to go down to my plant and see how things are going,'" the butler said in a funny voice, mocking that of Kaiba's.

Mokuba pouted. "Surely there must be something you can do?"

"Alright, enough! You know I can't resist that face. I'll go see what I can do."

  


"Is it so hard to do what you are told?" Kaiba snapped. "I am very thorough in showing you the course of what you must follow. Why do you chose to disobey?"

"I want a raise."

"You know I can't follow through on that request until sells improve."

"I have a wife and a family! You don't understand-"

"I understand that you are not qualified for this job and its standards. You are-"

There was a knock on the door.

Kaiba brought his fists down hard on the table in annoyance. "What is it! I told you that I didn't want to be interrupted."

A voice came from outside the room. "Sorry, sir, but this man is very stubborn. He _demanded _that he talk to you. He says he knows you."

"He doesn't, get rid of him."

"Oh, no! Sir, he has the phone. Should I order him to put it down? Put the phone down. Mr., put the phone down. Alright sir, he put the phone down. Oh, no! He's headed for the main computer. He's just sat down and now he's typing. Oh, no! Sir, what should I do?"

There was a beep. It had come from one of the laptops on the table. Kaiba had received an email. _Come out and face your fears! _Was all over the screen. It kept appearing until the whole screen was just one big mess of letters.

Kaiba straightened and faced his employee. "We shall continue this conversation later. Until then, you are free to go."

"Shall I let the man in?"

"Yes, you may."

The butler came in all huffy and puffy. "Such rude men. They tried bossing me around. I told them that I knew you personally, and they tried to manhandle me out of the plant! I just-"

"Stop. What is so important?"

"I know what you are doing. Excuses, excuses. I saw the way you looked whenever your brother mentioned the dance."

"Oh, that."

"You do want to go. I can see it. But ask yourself this, is it worth making your brother miserable? Can you not just have him driven to the dance? You wouldn't have to go with him. Or, there is another option. I have already called and reserved a room for you in one of the towers. It's just above the gym floor. You could stay there and work on your machines while your brother has fun. How's that?"

Kaiba didn't answer.

"I'll take that as a yes. Now, your highness, get into the car. We, are getting your brother something to wear for the ball."

  


Mr. Wheeler looked like the gangster-type of guy, with his disheveled appearance, strangly hair, and unkept beard. But one could tell right away that he was a decent human being and that he loved his son fiercely. Joey worshiped his father, and did everything he could to please him.

"So this is Taleah," Mr. Wheeler said, as he stood on the Dunidgan's front porch. "Heard a lot about you. Nice to meet ya."

"Likewise," Taleah said.

"Now you take good care of my daughter," Mrs. Dundigan warned. "It's her first dance."

"Mom!" Taleah whined.

"Oh, I will," Joey's father said. "Beautiful girl, she is. Joey and that kid, Bakura, are in the truck. You can join them if you want."

Taleah took that as a cue to leave, and headed down to the truck. She could see Joey and Kury leaning against the vehicle, talking about engines. When Kury saw Taleah coming, he tapped Joey's shoulder and told him to be quiet.

"Four hundre' an' fifty horse power, dat's wha' I'm talkin' about. Wha? Whas dat Bakura? She's comin'? Where? Oh! Hi der, pretty, little lady."

"Hello there handsome, little guy," Taleah greeted.

Joey flinched. "Set myself up, didn't I?"

"Taleah, you look fantastic," Bakura said. "Breathtaking, really."

"Why thank you, Kury. That's the right way to greet a girl."

Joey opened the door to the truck. "Get in, sit down, an' shut up."

  


A few minutes later, Mr. Wheeler came down and started the automobile. Joey sat up front while Taleah and Bakura rode in the back.. Most of the trip there was spent talking about different types of dances like the foxtrot and waltz. It appeared that Joey's father knew them all and he spoke of them fondly.

"Do you know how to dance, Taleah?"

Taleah blushed. "Not really. My father taught me a few moves right before you picked me up. But that's all."

Mr. Wheeler nodded. "Your father, eh? You do a lot of things together? Yes? Sometimes I wish I had more time for my son. Growing up fast, and I'm missing all of it. Joe, you know I haven't always been there for you. I'm sorry, son."

Taleah and Bakura exchanged glances, each wondering if they should be there, for it was a private conversation.

Joey was appalled. "How can ya say dat? I know ya're busy. Ya just don't have time for me."

"Don't you ever think that son. You are all I have left. I could have had everything; my wife back, my daughter, my job, my life! But I gave it all up because I wanted more. One can't have everything. I had found that out too late. On my quest for more, I lost everything I already had. Let that be a lesson to you son-be happy with what you have. Remember, you don't _find _happiness, you make it."

They were at the school parking lot. Many people were already there, and many more were still arriving. It was so packed that everywhere one looked, there was somebody in a tux or gown.

Mr. Wheeler parked the truck and faced his son. "You are so important to me. And although I don't show it, I care about you alot. More then you'll ever know."

"I know, father."

"Good. Now go have fun with your friends."

Once out of the truck, it didn't take long before Taleah spotted the rest of the gang. (Miho included). They were all hanging out just inside, speaking about this and that.

As Taleah came closer, she could soon make out most of the decorations. The gym didn't look like itself at all-there were blue and gold balloons everywhere and a large disco ball hung from the center of the ceiling so that splashes of color illuminated the entire place. The bleachers had been pushed all the way back so there was room for everybody and a single, long table had been placed on the very far side occupied with a few snacks and beverages.

"You're here!" cried Miho, her shrill voice piercing the air. "The music is going to start soon, I'm so excited!"

"You look very beautiful," Taleah commented. "That's a gorgeous dress."

"Thanks. So is yours."

"I think everybody looks great," Yugi said.

"Yugi, you're so nice."

"Too nice," Tristen said.

"Bet he couldn't hurt a fly," Tae said.

"Probably couldn't," Yugi agreed. "I'm against killing anything. Especially, a harmless, innocent fly."

Joey belched and excused himself. "I've swallowed da fly before. Big one. It flew right into me mouth so da first ding I tasted was in fact, its head-"

"Joey!" everybody shouted at the same time.

"My uncle raises flies," said Miho. "He keeps them right outside his house. Has names for each and every one, he does."

Tristen threw out his chest. "My uncle raises horse and cattle. He's a farmer."

"Not this again," murmured Bakura. "Competing on who has the most interesting relative."

"My uncle is a spy."

"Joey!"

"No, no! It's true! He works for da. . .sorry, I'm not goo wit' names. . .oh! Da FCI."

Yugi blinked. "Do you mean the FBI or the CIA?"

"One of dose."

"And that's how I got my earings," they could all hear Simmick telling a group of admiring girls. They ooed and awed as he went on to tell them once again, about how he had rescued the elderly lady from the burning car.

"I really dislike him," Tae said. "Why does he have to do that all the time?"

"To get attention," Yugi stated. "Poor kid."

The music started up. It was a hip tune by one of the more popular artists of the day. Already people had begun to dance. Some were still on the sidelines waiting for their partners, or for a better song.

"Do you want to dance, Tristen?"

Tristen didn't have a choice-Miho grabbed him and they were off.

Yugi suddenly became shy. "Uh, Tae? You don't have to, but would you dance with me?"

"Of course! I love this song!"

Bakura too, was about to ask something, when two girls out from nowhere took him and pulled him onto the dance floor.

That left Taleah and Joey.

"Do ya wanna-"

"Duh!"

Before long, Taleah realized that knowledge of dancing wasn't at all as crucial as she had thought. Some people were doing the weirdest things, and one even tried to break dance. Taleah fit right in. Joey spun her a few times and tried to show her how to swing dance, but it was hopeless and he gave up.

There were so many people dancing at a time, that Taleah found it difficult trying not to bump into everyone. She was constantly saying, "I'm sorry." But after the twentieth time, she stopped and let the realization sink in that no matter how hard she tried not to bump into somebody else, it was inevitable.

Joey was a good dancer. He knew all sorts of cool moves. The problem was, he was all over the place and Taleah soon found herself dancing alone and occasionally even, with strangers.

Around the sixth song, she gave up and mouthed to Joey that she was going to get something to drink. After pushing past oblivious dancers and even having to shove some out of the way, she finally made it to the table that held the beverages.

"Taleah!"

Taleah jumped, spilling all of the water she had just poured herself, on the floor.

It was Mo. He was wearing an expensive white tuxedo and a speckled, white tie.

_If Mo is her_e, _then that must mean. . ._

Seto Kaiba was behind the table in the shadows. He stepped forward. The surprising thing was, he wasn't dressed up. He was wearing his usual casual green pants with a black leather belt and silver buckle, and a green, high-collared shirt. The final touch was a dark, purple also high-collared jacket that went down nearly to the floor. It acted more like a cape, however, for when he walked, it billowed out behind him.

"Mo? Kaiba? Wha-what are you guys doing here? I thought you weren't going to come."

"Change of plans," Kaiba answered.

"Taleah, would you dance with me?"

Taleah was obliged. She had missed Mo, and seeing him again made her realize just how much she cared about him.

It was a little awkward at first, (Mo being much shorter.) But then Taleah bent at the knees and tried dancing that way. It was hilarious-she couldn't keep her balance and kept falling backwards on her bottom. A few times, she brought Mo down with her. It was even more humorous whenever Mo tried to spin her. After awhile, Taleah quit trying to dance at Mo's height and picked him up. Despite the apparent height difference, both were having the time of their lives.

  


Seto Kaiba watched the pair for what seemed like hours. Neither were tiring out, much to his dismay. Song after song was played, and they showed no sign of slacking off.

Angry, he walked away and went up into the room the butler had rented for him. It was a small room, with quite a few desks backed up against the walls. It smelled faintly of oil, and was very musty as if it hadn't been occupied in a long time. Behind one of the desks, was a large glass window overlooking the gym below.

Kaiba pulled up a chair, (that creaked when he sat in it), and took out one of his newest technical mechanisms. One of his own creations. It was a holographic generator, shaped like a disk. The problem was, one of the screws kept breaking loose, disabling the recognition slot. And with that incapacitated, the machine would produce any hologram, rather then a specific one. Which was a big problem, especially since Kaiba wanted to put his device out into the market.

But for some reason, he couldn't concentrate. Every once in awhile, he would peer down and watch Taleah and his brother dance. He would watch as Taleah's gown flowed around her as she turned, and how Mokuba's face would light up whenever she whispered something in his ear. Suddenly, Kaiba couldn't watch anymore. He still lacked the level of concentration that was needed to complete the task, but he had to keep himself busy.

After much hard work adjusting the screw, he thought the problem, was at last, solved. But then it popped loose and rolled under one of the desks. Kaiba angrily threw the disk against the door. Of which, opened a few seconds later and Mo and the butler entered.

"Oh, hi Seto," Mokuba said. "Just thought I'd tell you that Taleah is a great dancer. I got too tired to dance anymore. She's still down there. She looks lonely."

As a reflex, Kaiba looked down at the gym floor. If Taleah had been lonely, she sure wasn't any longer. She was dancing with all of her friends, laughing and having a good time. Tristen was her partner now.

Mokuba shrugged and left.

The butler remained, however. "The dance is almost over."

"What are you suggesting? That I go down and dance with her?"

The butler didn't answer. "I'll drive your brother home. He is tired. Then I will come back for you. Good bye now."

The door closed behind the butler. _The dance is almost over. She's still down there. She looks lonely. _Kaiba put away his dueling disk system, and went down the stairs.

  


It was the last song. Everybody was dancing with their sweethearts. (Kury having more then one, and Joey still dancing with himself). Taleah was left out. She stood by the snack table, feeling lonesome. Not wanting to watch everyone dance much longer, she went to grab her shawl and leave, when she spotted Kaiba approaching.

He was staring right at her! There was no question about it, for there was nobody standing behind her and all the snacks had been eaten. _Does he want to talk to me? Have I done something wrong? Is he going to sue my parents? Why do I keep thinking that? I wonder what he wants._

By the time Kaiba reached her, the last song had ended. The dancers were starting to leave.

"Dance with me."

It wasn't a question.

Taleah was about to reply that the dance was over, when the DJ said over the intercom, "How about another one?"

Before she even had a chance to answer, Kaiba took her hand and swept her onto the dance floor. Then he put a hand on her waist, and placed hers on his shoulder.

Unfortunately for Taleah, the song was a slow one. The only kind of dancing she knew, was for rock 'n roll and other hip tunes. This style was very strange to her indeed.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I've never really danced before. Have I stepped on your foot? I did that to my father right before I came here. But I shouldn't be telling you this."

"Just follow my lead."

Kaiba held her close and led her in a nice and easy manner. Not too fast, and not that slow.

For awhile, Taleah gazed at Kaiba's and her feet, fearing that if she was to look up, she might step on him. But then she began to relax and started looking around. All the lights were dimmed. It was actually quite romantic. Taleah couldn't stop asking herself why Kaiba was dancing with somebody like her. He had never payed her any attention before. _Although, didn't Mo say once that he sometimes mentions me? What does that mean?_

Standing close to him, Taleah suddenly realized how tall he was. She was of average height herself, and she didn't even come close to reaching his shoulder. She felt small compared to him. Like she was much younger, but really, they were about the same age.

The last song ended. (For sure this time). Everybody clapped and cheered. It had been a great night.

Kaiba let go of Taleah and stepped back. "Thank you for the dance."

As Taleah watched him walk away, she couldn't help but feel bewildered.

~

Flower Petals: Wow, how many made it through that? For those who did, thank you! For those who didn't, you better go back and read! 

PLEASE review. This fan fiction takes up soooooo much of my time, and if nobody is reading it, then it would be a waste. So if you want me to continue this, please write a review. 

REVIEW IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE CHAPTERS!!!

  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Infatuations

Flower Petals: Another long chapter. Next one is really short, I promise! Please suffer through it. Something actually happens in this chapter. Now finally, the angst, drama, action, adventure, and psychological issues that characterize my lame style of writing can at last be witnessed!

For Sakurelle, thank you for reviewing! I really appreciate your support. Really, REALLY, much. Thanks!

For the pertinent, blunt, reticent, Ry-the Dark/Mystical Elf, thanks for the reviews!

For my sister, thanks sis!

For the newly born Kurama, (whatever!), thank you so very much!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything pertaining to it.

Warning: I don't swear at all. (My favorite word to use when I'm angry, upset, or want to call someone something, is tartersauce). But nasty, foul mouthed Kaiba, does. Just a heads up! Read and enjoy! Well, hopefully. . .__

  
  


_Flower Petals_

_Infatuations_

  


A few weeks had gone by since the dance, but it was still what everybody at Domino High School was talking about. They'd talk about the music, spread atrocious rumors, and daydream about what they'd wear for next year.

All Taleah's friends talked about, however, was Kaiba. They teased Taleah, for they had all seen her and Kaiba dance together. She, herself, didn't think much of what had happened that night. _It was all a fluke, _she kept telling herself.

School had been pretty much the same-evil teachers giving Taleah much more work to do then the rest of the students. There wasn't much to look forward to, except being around her friends. She continued to grocery shop on the weekends. But she had never had any company, for Kaiba had been away on a business trip and Mo wasn't allowed to leave the mansion.

It was a Wednesday, the second of the month. Which usually meant one thing-a field trip. Taleah didn't mind the excursions-she enjoyed a break from all the politics of school. This particular field trip was to one of Pegasus's estates. And Taleah was looking forward to it.

She had heard a lot about his, "castle," as it was called. But she had never gotten close enough to even catch a glimpse of it, for there was heavy security all around.

As the school bus approached, the magnificence of the castle could be seen. It was huge-nearly thrice that of the school building and it was all painted luminously white. The sun shone on the paint, making it sparkle.

"I heard dat der's over several bathrooms," Joey said.

Tae rolled her eyes. "Neat. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll get to try one out."

"I refuse da hear da sarcasm in dat."

Yugi waved his hands. "Stop it, you two. Look, we're almost there."

The driver was given clearance to drive up to the foot of the stairs that led to the main door. Once outside, the class divided into three, equal, single file lines and headed up the steps. When all had reached the top, the doors were flung open in greeting.

A man in his early thirties with very severe features and very dark sunglasses stepped out. He was very large and toughly built. And he had an extremely deep, booming voice.

"Welcome," he bellowed, "to one of Pegasus's castles. I am Kemo, one of his guards, and I'll be your guide today. Now, if you'd please stay in your lines, follow me."

"Looks like Kemo der goes to da same salon Tristen does," Joey whispered.

It looked true enough-Kemo had a mohawk that looked just like Tristen's, except for the fact that it was longer and sharper.

"I am not going to take that offensively," Tristen said.

The castle was truly splendid. Everything looked so dignified and majestic, even down to the very floor the students walked on. The doors opened to a vast hallway with decorative benches every few feet. Several cedar doors were placed on either side of the hall, continuing until the next room which was for dining.

Winding stairways were present throughout the whole tour. Each led to a different tower. Kemo only escorted them up one. It turned out to be a balcony overlooking a greenhouse underneath.

The greenhouse seemed to hold every different flower there was. The whole place was alive with color and brilliance, and a pleasant, fresh aroma.

Kemo didn't pause there for long, before he began the tour again. But Taleah wished to stay longer. She had a camera and she wanted a picture. 

"Magnificent, isn't it?"

Taleah whirled around to face the one and only, Pegasus. He was a tall, lean man that resonated with power and authority. He had the purest, straightest, shoulder length white hair that strangely, seemed to cover one of his eyes. He was wearing a bright red suit and a wide smile.

"Mr. P-P-Pegasus," Taleah sputtered.

"Please, no need for formality here. Call me Pegasus. I never did like that Mr. Stuff." He had an easy sort of charm that immediately won Taleah over. "Which one is your favorite?"

At first, she didn't know what he was talking about. _Favorite what? He must mean the flowers. _Taleah didn't have to think for very long. "Those. The purple ones with the pink trim."

"What do you like so much about them?"

"Their color. The way they stand out against all the others."

"You know, Taleah, you can judge what kind of a person somebody is by comparing them to their favorite flower."

Taleah froze. "How did you know my name?"

Pegasus's one visible eye grew dark. "I know because. . .it says so on your name tag."

"Oh, right," Taleah said, as she touched the cold surface of plastic that was pinned to her shirt. Everybody had to wear one incase they got lost. That way someone would know if they were missing. "I feel like such a dork."

"You don't need to, my dear. Do you want to know which flowers I like the best? Yes? The gold ones. Know why? Look how they strive to cover up their fellow companions. See how they look and act so superior, as if they think themselves omnipotent. They are true survivors, my dear. But you most likely aren't interested in any of what I have said. I apologize."

"No, no. I think what you said is fascinating. And I totally agree. There are so many out there, that one has to fight for attention and to stay alive."

Pegasus chuckled. "You are right in more ways then one, my dear. Hmm. I can't help but notice that every so often your hand strays to that pleasant looking bracelet of yours."

"My bracelet? Oh. It's actually rather strange, but it comforts me to know that It's there. Kind of like a reassuring hand. I guess every once in awhile I like to touch It just to make sure It's still there."

"Interesting. However did you get It?"

"I don't know. It seems like I've always had It."

"Very pleasant, indeed. How much do you want for It? I can pay any price that you name."

His charm was gone and Taleah suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"I-I better go, my class-" Taleah began. But then she realized that she was quite alone. Alone, with the exception of Pegasus. _Kemo most not realize that I'm gone. _

"Listen, think about it. Then meet me here after school and we will discuss this further."

  


"Think she got lost?" asked Tristen, who was shuddering and hiding behind Joey. "It's so big and scary in here."

Yugi frowned. "I'm starting to get worried. Should we go look for her?"

"I'll go," Tae volunteered. "But I have no sense of direction and I'll probably get lost, then both Taleah and I would be lost, wandering in the castle, (kind of like the first day of school) and we'll never be found and we'll have to eat rats and anything else that crawls by and we'll never see any of you or our families or relatives again. So, oh well."

"That just doesn't sound logical," Bakura said. "I'm sure if we put all our heads together we'd be able to come up with something."

"Don't forget that one of those heads is Joey's," said Tristen. "That would be like subtracting one."

"Hey!"

"You guys don't have to argue over me. I'm here."

"Taleah!"

"I'm glad you're okay!"

"Are you okay?"

"You weren't lost?"

"Where were ya? Did ya come across one of da several bathrooms?"

"Joey!"

"I came across something much more interesting," Taleah said. She explained to them why she had been missing and all about her encounter with Pegasus.

"Dat would have been strange, bumpin' into somebody like Pegasus," Joey thought out loud. "I didn't even know he was here. Wonder why he wants yar bracelet."

"I don't know. But we'll all find out together."

  


"Sorry, but only Miss Dundigan is allowed in," Kemo said sharply.

It was after school, and the friends were all standing in front of Pegasus's castle's main doors. Kemo was guarding the entry, and he was refusing to let anybody but Taleah in.

"Orders. You can wait outside."

"We're comin' in," Joey claimed. "Even if I have da fight ya."

Kemo stepped in close so that he was only a few inches away from Joey. It was then, Joey realized just how big and tall Kemo was.

"I mean, move out of da way or else _Tristen'll _fight ya."

"Wha?" cried Tristen. "No way! He's creepy!"

"It's alright guys," Taleah said. "I'll go in alone. Just promise that you'll be out here waiting for me when I return."

Yugi nodded. "Whatever you ask."

Taleah took a deep breath as Kemo opened the doors, and she once again stepped into the mighty fortress. This time she didn't have a guide. But she had directions. The meeting between her and Pegasus was to be held in the Board Room. Walking at a steady pace, she took the third door on the right, climbed the stairwell, made a left at a fork, took a winding path that seemed to lead down, and opened a wooden door that undoubtedly, led to the Board Room.

A bright, red figure stood near one of the many windows overlooking the sea. After all, it was quite a view with the waves crashing ashore and the sun working its magic so that the water glowed in golden radiance. But Taleah couldn't appreciate any of it. She was too nervous.

"Taleah," Pegasus greeted, without even turning around. "I've been expecting you. Kemo been giving you a little bit of trouble? He's just that type I suppose. Now, down to business. Take a seat, if you will."

"I'd rather stand."

"Very well."

"What do you want with my bracelet? It's surely of no importance to you. Money wise, anyway. But It holds value for me. At times, It's my only companion, my motivation. You can't put a price on that."

"It appears that I've clearly underestimated you," Pegasus admitted. "And here I was thinking that you'd just hand the thing over. But you've convinced me now, that no matter what I say, you'll refuse to part with It. You don't know anything about It, do you?"

Taleah shook her head.

"Then you can't possibly know why I want It, except that I do. I am a business man, my dear. Years of negotiating, has hardened me. But today, there will be no compromise."

"Is that a threat?" Taleah asked, boldly.

"Watch, my dear."

With a press of a red button, a screen came down from the center of the room. It was one of the flat screens that they sold now at markets, but this one was changed, manipulated somehow. It hung from the ceiling on two hooks, one on each side, and showed nothing but a black screen. Taleah began to wonder if it was working properly. _Is this what he wanted me to see? _ But then to her horror, the blackness began to slip away to be replaced by a clear and focused image of her parents. They were in their house enjoying a cup of coffee and talking about work.

Taleah gasped. She felt her heart stop. "Is. . .is that now?"

"Yes, my dear. The screen shows what is going on in your house this very second. Fascinating, mmm?"

"You creep! Have you been spying on my family long?"

"No. First time. And it's not called, 'spying.' Rather, watching. If you do not hand over that bracelet, something will happen to your parents."

Taleah didn't believe him. _He says that, but does he gave the guts to really do something? And what? He can't hurt my parents; they are safe in their own house. The worst thing he could do is say that he'll watch them some more. I don't get this. How could a supposedly friendly meeting go so horribly wrong? Who knew that Pegasus would turn out to be this way?_

"Well, Taleah? No? I guess you'll have to learn the hard way. Croquet?"

There was a fuzzy sound and then the voice of a man. Taleah searched frantically to see where it was coming from. Then she realized, that on the right corner of the screen, there was a small picture of man with greyish hair, and a mustache. He was wearing earphones. _And so is Pegasus, _Taleah discovered. _They're communicating that way. But where is this Croquet man?_

"Get on with it."

"Yes, sir."

An astounded Taleah watched as men poured into her living room through windows and doors, startling her parents. She felt like someone kicked her in the stomach, as she helplessly watched her parents being taken away. Coffee was spilled and tables were turned over. It was a rough struggle. Taleah fell to her knees, unable to take her eyes off the screen.

"Mom. . .Dad. . ."

"Now, do you trust in my words? _Give It to me!"_

Taleah had no voice, she couldn't talk, or scream for help. Not that it would matter-it was Pegasus's castle. Everybody there were guards. They were all on his side. She was alone and helpless. And she couldn't do a thing about it.

Suddenly, her bracelet began to glow. Taleah was blinded by the brilliant color bursting forth. It gave her a new strength. She felt stronger and more capable of being able to handle her problems. A voice spoke to her through her mind, _run. Get out of there before it's too late._

Taleah obeyed. The light from her bracelet had temporarily stalled Pegasus, giving her enough time to escape. She ran blindly out of the door and back into the labyrinth. She stumbled, and tripped, once almost knocking a few things over, and bumped into the hard, cold stone wall in her flight. She had long since lost track of where she was going. All she even knew or thought, was that she wanted away.

An alarm went off. It reverberated throughout the castle, so loudly that Taleah nearly lost her footing.

Only one thing kept her going now, and that was a single door that had light pouring out of it, somewhat ahead. A door to the outside. _Once I'm out, I have to home. Maybe it's not too late. . ._

Seto Kaiba was in a sulky mood indeed. The so called trip had gone horribly wrong right from the beginning. First, the hotel reservations that he had made a month in advance, were missing. When he had found them, the man at the front desk had told him that he wasn't in the computer database. So, as a result, Kaiba had had to stay at a cheap motel, miles away from his destination. Then, he had learned from very disturbing news. Maximilian Pegasus, who had supported KaibaCorp. In the beginning, was now trying to take it over. KaibaCorp. And Industrial Illusions had been rivals for a long time. And now Pegasus planned to merge them. _So that's why the Big Five have been acting so bizarre. They have been discussing terms with Pegasus, trying to overthrow me as if they think I'm some kind of pushover. I'll prove them wrong._

The idea of the two companies merging, wasn't at all a bad one. That was, if Kaiba was allowed any control. But he knew what kind of man Pegasus was. He had known him for a long time. He knew what that man was capable of. _Go ahead and do your worst, Pegasus. KaibaCorp. is still mine, and I plan on keeping it that way._

Kaiba ran a hand through his hair, drawing it back from his face. (He had long bangs that had a tendency to flop down into his eyes). _It's time to confront Pegasus._

Taking three steps at a time, Kaiba soon reached the top of the stairs leading up to the castle, to find that he wasn't alone. Taleah's friends were standing outside, arguing with Kemo, who looked like he was about ready to slap Joey. Kaiba was confused. _What are they doing here? I thought I was the only one who knew where Pegasus is staying._

Joey was saying something remarkably vitriolic to Kemo when he spotted Kaiba and stopped in mid-sentence. "Wha are ya doin' here? Don't ya have some fancy company da run?"

"I am here on business. I want a word or two with Pegasus."

"Well you can't, because Taleah's speaking with him right now," Tae explained. "Although, she's been in there a long time."

"We would be in der too," Joey snarled, "if bozo here had let us in."

"A long time?" Kaiba questioned. "That's not good."

"Meaning what?" Bakura sounded worried. "You don't think that something has happened to her, do you?"

Kaiba shrugged. "Never know with Pegasus. He'll do whatever is in his power to get what he wants."

"He wants something from Taleah," Yugi said.

"Uh-uh!" Kemo said as Kaiba tried to get past him. "Only one guest allowed in at one time. Wait your turn."

"Out of my way you overgrown, immature, bastard!" Kaiba snapped.

"Again with the insults? I have no propensity to let you in. Besides, I am not in authority here."

It was then when they all heard the shrill, harsh sound of an alarm, coming from inside the castle.

"Something's wrong," Yugi stated. He turned to ask Kaiba a question, but Kaiba was gone.

  


He had known something was up when Kemo had refused to let him in. Pegasus had always welcomed visitors. To him, they were just more people to intimidate. What did he want from Taleah? She had nothing to do with his company, and right now, Pegasus only seemed to be fixated on that.

He whipped around a corner. A few more blocks and he'd be there. He just had to keep on running.

Taleah's home was rapidly coming closer. It was a small, two story made of bricks. When he reached it, he couldn't help but notice that the front door was ajar. Entering, he found the place bare, and devoid of everything it had once held. Nothing remained. Save for one, not a single piece of furniture was left. It was a couch. An old, beaten-up couch. Besides that, even the carpet was missing.

He found her in what could have only been what was left of her parents' bedroom. She was in the very center, on her knees, her face in her hands. Weeping.

He stood in the doorway. "I'm sorry Taleah."

Taleah sniffed. "He's taken everybody and everything. It's all gone. Everybody's gone."

"I'm so sorry." This time, he meant it. He wished with all his heart that there was a way he could make it all better. A way to comfort her. Right then, there was only one thing he could do. 

He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He rocked her back and forth as one would a child. All the while muttering, "It's okay, it's okay," over and over. His troubles and worries slipped away. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Not his business, not even Pegasus. They all seemed so distant, so far away. It felt like time had stopped in that little room.

After awhile, she stopped crying and drew back so she could face him. "Kaiba?"

"Yeah. It's me." Kaiba brushed away her tears. "It's me."

Sounds could be heard coming from the other side of the house.

"Taleah?"

Kaiba stood. "Your friends are here. Good bye now." He fled out an open window.

Joey entered the room a few seconds later, and gripped Taleah by her shoulders. "Are ya okay?"

Tristen, Bakura, Tae, and Yugi all came in. They gathered around her, creating a protective shield. All muttered encouraging words.

"Tell us exactly what happened," Yug said.

Taleah started with telling them about how Pegasus demanded she hand over her bracelet. She told them about how when she had refused, he brought down the screen and made her watch as her parents were kidnaped. Then she explained how she had escaped only to run home and find it empty. She didn't mention Kaiba. For she was still in such a daze, that she wasn't sure if he had truly been there.

Yugi's hand went up to touch the Item he wore around his neck. "If what you said is true, then your bracelet acted the same way my Millennium Puzzle often does."

"Millennium Puzzle?"

"I don't know anything of Their origin. I just know that there are very few Millennium Items. You and I both seem to have one."

Bakura's face changed suddenly. "Millennium Items. I've heard of Them before. Yes. . ."

"Can you walk?" Tae asked. "We've got to get you out of here."

"Yes. I-I think so."

It turned out that Taleah wasn't as strong as she had thought. She could hardly stand, let alone walk. Tristen told her it was because of the trauma she had just gone through, losing her parents. He and Joey carried her out and set her down on the couch. Tae made her a cup of hot chocolate. (Whoever had kidnaped her parents and stolen everything that she had ever owned, contained enough decency to leave the food behind).

"Thank you guys. You all mean so much to me."

Joey patted her on the leg. "We'll do whatever we can, da help ya get yar mamma an' papa back."

"That's right, Joey," Yugi agreed.

There was a knock on the door that startled them all.

"I didn't order a pizza," Taleah said.

Joey and Kury leapt out in front of Taleah, shielding her incase the kidnapers were back. They weren't going to give up their friend without a fight. Tristen hid behind Tae. Yugi, answered the door.

Everyone held their breaths as they waited for Yugi to return. They heard him murmur, "Thank you," then watched as he came back with a large box addressed to Taleah.

Tristen trembled. "You think it's a bomb?"

Taleah sat on the end of the couch and set the box in her lap. She didn't have a choice-she had to open it. It undoubtedly had something to do with her parents. She just didn't know what.

Ripping away the tape and top cover, Taleah found the contents. Surprisingly enough, the box held what looked like two yellow starchips, a red, velvet glove that had gold plates on the knuckles, and an invitation to the dueling tournament on Pegasus's island.

"I'm confused." Joey looked that way indeed. "Pegasus wants ya ter enter da contest? Why?"

"Maybe if I win, he'll give me back my parents," replied Taleah. "Although, he wouldn't get my bracelet. Or maybe that's just it. If I win, I get back my parents. And if I lose, he gets my Millennium Item. I'm confused too. But entering the contest is the only way to get answers."

"Look," pointed out Tristen, who had just now come out from hiding behind the couch, "the invitation states that there will be two winners. First place gets to duel Pegasus. Second, wins the prize money: three million! Finalists get ten thousand each. But wow! Three million is a lot of money."

"Yes," Yugi said, "but who cares about that at a time like this?"

Joey snatched the invitation away from Tristen, his dark eyes quickly scanning over it. "Oh, man. Three mill."

"I guess Joey does," Yugi answered himself.

"Should we call the police?" Bakura proposed. "This was a federal offense."

Taleah shook her head. "No. I have the feeling that Pegasus wouldn't have wanted me to do that. Whatever this is, it's between me and him. Besides, we don't have any proof. I'll bet whoever kidnaped my parents didn't even leave shoe prints behind, let alone any camera."

Tae took Taleah's hands. "You're probably right. Well, no matter what happens, we'll all be here for you. That's what friends are for. We'll support you in anyway we can."

"Thanks. I'm pretty sure what my course of action is now. I'm entering the dueling tournament, and I'm going to win."

  


Worrying about school seemed so silly to Taleah now. It was of very little importance to her. There were bigger things to fret about.

The ferry that would take everybody away to the Dueling Tournament on Pegasus's island was leaving in a matter of weeks. It had turned out that the big rush for better cards and dueling strategies had been a big waste of time for many people. For Pegasus had forgotten to mention that you had to have an invitation to compete. Only the better duelists were given permission to enter the contest.

Joey, who hadn't gotten an invitation, wrote a letter to the Chief Tournament Liaison, requesting one. A week had gone by without a reply, and he had begun losing hope when at last, on a nice clear day, he too got a box in the mail occupied by a glove, two starchips, and an invitation.

Tae and Tristen had no such attention of becoming apart of the tournament. Bakura, as much as he wanted to go, couldn't, because his parents were due back any day. Yugi hadn't made up his mind.

School days seemed to last forever. Now that it was almost over, the teachers were giving out even more work. But Taleah didn't mind. It kept her busy, so she didn't have to be reminded that her parents were gone.

Because she had nothing left in her home, she stayed with Tae and her family under the false pretense that her parents were out of town because of a family crisis. Tae's parents were nice folk and pleasant to be around, but they were always busy-always doing something or another. Taleah was most often forgotten because they were too caught up in things to notice her.

She found herself spending a lot of time with Mo at the Kaiba mansion. It was a gorgeous place with great stone pillars all around, making it look very antiquated. It sat on six acres of exquisitely landscaped property. Although it wasn't quite as big as Pegasus's castle or as beautiful, it had a certain humbleness about it that made it feel very homey.

There were no shortages of things to do-it had indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, spas, not to mention, basketball courts, exercize rooms, garden areas, and a volleyball/badmitton/pickleball court. Taleah and Mo swam, worked out, planted flowers, and played sports. No matter how many times they did any of those, the fun never seemed to wear out. Kaiba joined them occasionally, but he was usually only there long enough to snap at them to be quiet. Those rare occasions when he did associate himself with them, all three had a great time. Or at least, Mo and Taleah felt so. Kaiba expressed no enjoyment and he never once smiled or laughed. But Mo always assured Taleah that his brother really had had fun, but just didn't like to show it. 

One particular day at the Kaiba mansion, Taleah and Mo spent so much of the day swimming that they had lost track of time, and before they knew it, it was late at night. They sat on Mo's bed staring at the clock in disbelief.

"I better go," Taleah said, reluctantly.

Mo sprang onto his oversized beanbag. "No, stay! I want to hear a story."

Taleah laughed. "A story? Aren't you a little old for that? No? Well, okay, but I don't know of any that you would like."

"Make one up." He thought for awhile then added, "One that rhymes!"

Taleah sat down next to Mo on his beanbag and leaned back so that she was almost laying. It was actually quite comfortable.

"Once upon a time," she began, "in a far away land, there were oceans full of water and deserts. . .um, full of sand? Sorry, I'm not too good at rhyming. Anyway, back to the story. 

"Over hills and far away, there lived an unhappy princess. She had everything she had always wanted, so why she was unhappy, the townspeople couldn't guess. Only the princess knew, and all she did was sit up in her tower feeling blue."

Mo chuckled.

"So one day her father, the king, pledged, 'I'll pay any amount to whoever makes her happy.' Little did he know that that pledge, would bring a dragon to his door, a dragon named Bahredge.

"At first the king refused, thinking his daughter would be in danger. But he soon realized that this harmless dragon wouldn't even hurt a stranger. He was a kind soul who loved to run and loved to roll. The king, being very desperate indeed, let the dragon in to do his deed.

"The princess didn't care that there was a dragon in her room, or that when he rolled over to her, he knocked over a book and a broom. Although, she did kind of care when he picked her up and flew her out of there. She forgot her sorrow in her fright. She kicked, screamed, and yelled with all her might.

"Bahredge, the dragon, flew her down through the trees and thistles, and then finally to the ground. The princess ran and hid behind a tree asking, 'What is it you want from me?'

"The dragon replied, 'You were unhappy, so I've come to make you glad, that's all. I'm taking you with me on my adventures, you're going to have a ball.'

"The princess said, 'But my father's men will be looking for me.' Um, what rhymes with, 'me'? Oh, yeah! 'Ouch!' said the princess, 'I got stung by a bee!'"

Mo rolled over laughing. "That was good."

"Seeing that she was hurt, Bahredge used his magic dragon powers and cured her of her pain, like any other sensible dragon would have done. The princess thanked him and told him that he reminded her of her Mum.

"The two became fast friends and went out on a lot of adventures. They saved a town from a wild fire, prevented a forest from being cut down, and brought a woman back her dentures. They were known as heros worldwide. And the princess was cured from her sadness-she no longer cried." Taleah paused to take a breath. She was about to resume, when she noticed that Kaiba was standing in the doorway leaning against the door. Her cheeks flushed hot with embarrassment. Had he heard?

"Seto!" Mo cried. "Taleah was just telling me a story."

"So I heard."

Taleah winced.

"Do you want to join us?" Mo asked.

Kaiba didn't answer. Instead, he went over and sat on the beanbag on his brother's right, so that Mo was in the middle. "What happens next? Does the princess go home?"

Taleah gulped. "Um, where did I leave off? Oh, right. But after awhile, the princess began to feel homesick. It just wasn't the same sleeping outside on the ground which felt as hard as brick. Um. . .uh. . .maybe I should stop for the night."

"I'll take care of the next few phrases," Kaiba volunteered. "So she told Bahredge one day, 'Thank you for taking me away. You've eased my troubles and taken away my pain. And you've taught me more about life then I ever thought I could gain. But you see, it's time to go back now. You've done all you can do for me, so go ahead, take your bow.' Taleah?"

Taleah nodded and picked up where he left off. "The dragon said with a tear in his eye, "It seems like we've only just met and now it's time to say goodbye.' Sadly , he flew the princess home where her father waited. They let their tears flow, unabated."

Kaiba continued. "When the king met up with his daughter, he reviled her for running away. Then he told her how much he had missed her everyday. He asked the dragon how he had cured her from her sad state. Bahredge said, 'It was easy. She took the bait.' Taleah?"

"Right. The dragon went on to explain, 'You see, your daughter had it all, but yet she had nothing. She had everything she had always wanted, but yet she was missing something. Her life didn't have entertainment so I took her on an adventure. One that I always hope she'll keep close and remember.' Kaiba?"

"So from then on, everybody lived happily ever after. The end. Oh, and the princess was never sad again."

Mo yawned. "Already? And Taleah, 'adventure,' and, 'remember,' don't even rhyme. I'm tired."

Taleah found herself yawning too. She leaned even further back on the beanbag and felt Kaiba do the same on the other side of Mo. It was so late. She was so tired. _Maybe if I just close my eyes for a little while, I'll feel more awake and then I can go back to Tae's. That's it. Just close my eyes. . .for a little while. . ._

Taleah opened her eyes. She blinked a few times. Then she panicked. She didn't know where she was. The ceiling looked different from that of Tae's bedroom and she sure wasn't sleeping on one of her friend's bunk beds. It was starting to come back to her. _I remember telling Mo a silly story. Yes, I remember that. Then I just felt so sleepy. I closed my eyes and then, and then. . ._

Taleah bolted straight up. She knew where she was now.

Mo snuggled closer to the beanbag, muttering something in his sleep. Kaiba was lying next to him, just waking up.

_I spent the night with the Kaiba's!_

Kaiba opened his eyes and smoothed his hair back. When he saw Taleah he didn't look surprised at all. In fact, he looked _too _okay with the fact that she was still there and it was early in the morning. He motioned her outside.

Taleah carefully stood up, trying not to wake Mo who was now moaning, "Don't eat me!" over and over. She brushed herself off and walked out of his bedroom and into the hall. Kaiba joined her not too much later, and closed the door.

"I'm so sorry!" Taleah blurted as soon as the door was closed. "I had no intention of falling asleep! I'm so sorry. I'll make this up to you. I'll leave right now. I'm so sorry! Oh, how embarrassing. Did I mention to you how sorry I am?"

Kaiba opened a built-into-the-wall cabinet and began digging through it. "It's fine. Really."

"No, it's not," Taleah insisted. "I shouldn't have stayed so late. I should have never told Mo that story! I'm so sorry."

"Here is a fresh towel for your shower. The bathroom is two doors down to your left. And once again, you don't have to apologize."

Taleah was tongue tied. But only for a minute. "I'll go home right now, that way I'm not in your way or in your house. I'll be gone before Mo wakes up. I'm leaving. I'm so sorry!"

Kaiba gripped her by her shoulders, turned her around, and shoved her in the direction of the bathroom. "Two doors down to your left."

  


After a quick shower, Taleah felt refreshed. And ready to apologize some more. _I feel so guilty. I wonder what Kaiba thinks of me now. Oh, it doesn't matter. What happens when he sues my parents? Alright, I've got to stop thinking that. What will Mo say when he wakes up? What if he's already awake? Wow, that's a scary thought. What if Tae finds out? What would she think of me? What if the whole school figures out? What would the teachers think of me? Why do I keep asking myself what other people think of me? I should just go and ask them._

She heard a slight clang in the kitchen. _Kaiba must be cooking. _The kitchen was on the other side of the hall. It was huge, with more space then Taleah had in her whole house, let alone her _kitchen. _It had three different islands that had cabinets all the way around and two refridgerators, ovens, stoves, and microwaves. Mo and she loved to hang out there and make up new recipes for their favorite foods. Their, "inventions," they liked to call them. Some turned out to be quite good. But most of their, "inventions," ultimately ended up in the garbage.

"Mokuba is still asleep," Kaiba told her as she walked into the kitchen. "Do you like hashbrowns?"

Taleah nodded and watched as he put on a plain, white apron. She couldn't suppress her laughter.

Kaiba raised his eyebrows in question.

"Sorry. You just don't seem like the apron type."

"Come again?"

Taleah put up a hand. "Never mind. Here, let me help."

She cracked a few eggs into a pan and turned on the stove. Kaiba continued to cook the hashbrowns. They worked in silence for a long time, occasionally passing each other seasonings and cooking utensils. Taleah was just passing Kaiba the pepper shaker when an average height, balding man with pleasant features walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning to you Mr. Kaiba, Miss Dundigan. I've brought the morning mail."

"Morning mail?" Taleah questioned. "Is there the afternoon and night mail too?"

Both the man and Kaiba looked at her in disbelief. 

"Mail comes only in the morning for us, Miss Dundigan," the man explained. He set it down on the counter by Taleah, who couldn't help but notice that over half the envelopes addressed to Kaiba were from different colleges.

"Have you been accepted into all those colleges?" she asked.

Kaiba's face grew hard. He snatched the mail off the counter and thrust it all into the garbage can. That sudden motion made Taleah very curious.

"Mr. Kaiba gets accepted into many colleges," the man said. "It's only natural, he's a genius. He could have graduated by the time he was nine years of age. But you see, he just doesn't know what he wants to do or be."

"I never knew," Taleah murmured.

"Oh, yes," the man continued, "he has it all: he's extremely handsome, filthy rich, and as smart as they come. It's a wonder why he isn't happy. He's moody most of the time if you ask me."

"Very irritable," Taleah agreed.

Kaiba pointed a spatula at them. "How dare you two stand there and insult me!"

The man put a hand over his mouth. "Oh dear, we've made it mad."

Taleah giggled. Then seeing her chance, she asked, "What _do _you want to do with your life?"

"I don't know," Kaiba whispered. He turned his back to them and went back to cooking. Taleah knew him well enough to know that he was in his, don't-talk-to-me-or-I'll-snap-at-you mood. So she didn't question any further.

The man started to leave, but right as he reached the doorway, he turned and said, "As is a friend and your butler, I strongly suggest that you do whatever makes you happy." Then he left.

Taleah stared down at the floor. _To have it all, but yet to have nothing. To have everything that you could ever want, but yet to be missing something. _It was just like her story that she had made up last night. Only, it seemed Kaiba was missing much more then just an adventure or two. _Oh, to have everything and still be unhappy. What is wrong with him?_

"I've tried so many times to have that man fired."

Taleah looked up. It appeared Kaiba was out of his don't-talk-to-me-or-I'll-snap-at-you mood. "What makes you happy?"

Kaiba didn't say anything. He started to dish out the skillets he had made, onto plates when a very sleepy Mo waddled into the kitchen. He was still wearing his Indiana Jones pajamas.

When he saw Taleah, his eyes brightened. "She's here for good!"

Taleah handed him his plate. "Shut up and eat, Kid."

If there was ever a time when Kaiba would have laughed, it was then. But it seemed like he had forgotten how.

  


The doorbell sounded, and a symphony of music rang throughout the house.

Mo shot up out of his chair and skipped to the door shouting, "He's here! He's here!"

"He has a private tutor that comes here every day," Kaiba explained, as he dabbed his face with a napkin. "They'll be in the western wing for approximately three hours."

"Ah, I see." Taleah stood up and put her breakfast in the sink. The skillet had been awesome-Kaiba was a great cook. _Extremely handsome, filthy rich, as smart as they come, and an excellent cook. _She was about to wash her dish, but Kaiba blocked the faucet with his hand. "I'll do that later."

"Are you sure? Thanks. Thank you for everything. Could you do me a favor? Could you tell Mo that I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say good bye and that I'll see him later? I have to walk to school."

"I'll drive you to school. And as for the favor, it is inappropriate. I have some business to attend to right after I drop you off. You'll most likely see Mokuba before I do."

"Oh. Well, let's get going then."

Most of the drive was once again, in silence. Although, Taleah was tempted to ask Kaiba if he had a driver's license. She was almost positive that he didn't. Surely he couldn't be that much older then her. Regardless of the fact that if felt that way.

When Kaiba parked the car in front of the school building, Taleah could no longer suppress the statement, "You know, you drive awfully well for somebody who doesn't even have a permit."

Kaiba looked surprised. "I was wondering when you were going to bring that up." He re-started the engine of the car. "Have a nice day at school. I guess I'll be seeing you later."

"Don't sound too disappointed," Taleah joked. She opened her door and was about to step out of the car, when Kaiba grabbed her arm.

"Listen, I just wanted to tell you that I think you're handling your present predicament very well. You've remained unbelievably strong despite all that Pegasus has done to you. I know that you find yourself weak and incapable, but you are wrong. You have been through a lot, but you haven't let that change you. I respect that. That's all I have to say.

Taleah managed a small smile. "I wish I saw what you do. All I see is a failure who cracks under pressure. But thank you for your kind words."

She just wanted to get out of that car and miles away. _How could he say those things? They were all lies. All of them. I am not what he says I am. I am not strong. I run away from all my problems. _She was sure running right then. Not just to get away from Kaiba, but from everything and everybody; Pegasus, that guy named Croquet, Pegasus's castle and island, her abandoned home, the Kaiba mansion. . .People's faces flooded by, laughing and pointing at her as she ran on. But she didn't care. She just wanted a break. Life had seemed so much simpler hanging out on one of the school's towers with her friends. Now, it was complicated. Too complicated. Why couldn't everything just go away and leave her alone?

_Face your problems, _said a voice from the back of her mind. _They are yours and nobody else's. You must handle them. Just remember that you are not alone. You have friends who love you and who will stay by your side to the very end. Your parents, wherever they are, feel the same. They are counting on you. Everybody is counting on you._

Taleah peered down at her bracelet. It was glowing-a warm radiance against her cold wrist. There was something about It that made her slow down to a walk. She felt better now. It was right, whoever the voice was.

"Taleah!"

Tae came sprinting up to her. "I was worried. I saw you running and I thought there might be something wrong. Are you okay?"

"I am now," Taleah replied.

"Where were you last night? Went to bed early? Must have. Didn't notice that you were gone until this morning. Leave for school early? You sneak. Must have thought that you'd get here on time just to make me look bad. Well, never mind. School is about to start. Fun, huh?"

Taleah was shocked. She hadn't needed to explain anything! Tae had answered herself. Taleah was just glad that she didn't have to tell her friend that she had slept over with the Kaiba's.

~

Flower Petals: Whew! It's over. A big thanks for those brave enough to finish! And for those who didn't, a pox on you! Just, kidding. . .It's about to get really exciting, I promise! Please review if you want to see more. 

How about three reviews before I update? 

Taleah: You've got it all wrong. You have to be firm.

Flower Petals: Alright, three reviews before the next chapter is posted. Please?

Taleah: Firm I tell you!

Flower Petals: I demand three reviews PLEASE!

Taleah: Firmer!

Flower Petals: Three reviews or else I'll stalk you down and make you review, please?

Taleah: Firmerer!

Flower Petals: That isn't even a word.

Taleah: He, I guess you're right. . .


	5. Reoccurrences

Flower Petals: What did I tell ya? This is a short chapter, at least compared to the previous ones. However, since I'm in a chatty mood and since I have a lot to say, the space will most likely be filled up anyways.

For Sakurelle: Thank you for reviewing. Your support has been unbelievable and I'm very grateful. Sorry I haven't had a chance to read some more of your story. It looks great, and hopefully I can read more soon. And hey, if it means anything to you, I think Link looks super hot in red too! Green as well, but not blue. . .

For Ry-the Dark/Mystical Elf: I read the fourth chapter of our story at long last! It's pwetty good. Can't wait for the next update. And thanks for the reviews!

For Kurama: Newly born, eh? Don't know what that means, don't care, but thanx!

For Taleah: Thanks sis! It means a lot to me that you'd take the time to review my story. And thanks for all the help! I couldn't have done this without you looking over my shoulder and pointing out my spelling mistakes and so on. . .

For Kikkoken: (Sorry, I forgot how to spell your name!!!): I really enjoyed your Yu-Gi-Oh fan fiction. I don't know what "Street Fighter" is, so I'm a little apprehensive about reading it. To answer your question, as Sakurelle pointed out earlier, I spell, "Tea" horribly, hideously wrong. But as I've already misspelled it waaaaaay to many times, so I'm not going to spell it the correct way until my next fan fiction. I hope you don't mind. And thanks!

For Minachan?(Sorry, once again, no idea on how to spell your name(s)): I love your stories! One of you, (I forget which one), really knows how to throw a party. The other one, is really talented at making super cute stories. Sorry I haven't had the time to read more, but I will! And thanks for the review!

If I forgot anybody, I'm sorry. I have a horrible memory, (see above). Anyway, please read!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything pertaining, relating, or even remotely close to it. But I do own my sneakers. . .__

_Flower Petals_

_Recurrences_

  


_ A young boy with multi color hair stood on a bright platform in the center of darkness. He had his eyes closed and arms spread wide out, as if addressing the sky. An Item around his neck glowed dimly at first, then burst out with an array of dazzling colors, banishing the darkness_

A napkin was placed on a table. A napkin, drenched with sweat.

"Send an invitation to Yugi Muto immediately."

"Yes, sir."

  


Yugi Muto was walking home from school one day alone, when something he saw out of the corner of his eye made him stop. For on top of his mailbox, was a large package addressed to him. He sighed-he knew what it was. He had been debating with himself whether he should go or not. But he had come up with a decision days ago. He would just have to send the invitation back.

"What do you got there?" his grandfather asked as Yugi walked into the shop. He was helping one of his customers. One of his usual come-in-every-day customers.

She was a tall lady with a very long and very pointy nose. And she had an infamous, nasty habit of talking too much. She was Mrs. Glump.

"Is that what I think it is?" She placed a hand over her heart. "Little, Yugi, you make me so proud."

"It's an invitation to the Dueling Tournament on Pegasus's island," Yugi stated. "But I don't think I'm going."

Mrs. Glump slapped Gramps lightly across the arm. "Tell that boy to go! This is a chance of a life time." She nervously fingered with an item she always wore around her neck.

"Actually, it's the first annual competition of many more to come," Yugi began, but Mrs. Glump interrupted him.

"Don't get all smart on me, kid! Now, Mr. Solomon-" Gramps flinched, (Solomon was his real name, but everybody called him Grandpa), "-You must tell your grandson right now that he must, must-"

"No." Gramps shook his head. "This is Yugi's decision. And although I think you are right about it being a fantastic, new experience, I always let Yugi decide for himself what he thinks is best. Now my child, should I put up a sign outside my shop saying, "Proud Grandparent of a Champion Duelist"? Or should I get some paper and ink so you can write a letter of refusal?"

"I think the latter choice is the path I will take, Grandpa. But if you want, you can still put up a sign saying, "Proud Grandparent of a Wannabe Champion Duelist."

Gramps chortled. "That's my boy! That's my grandson."

  


"I'm sure glad all dat work is over," Joey admitted. "I mean, it das fun workin' with ya and Gramps, but so many people. . .I thought I was goin' da faint standin' up!"

"I usually feel that way too when we're pretty busy," Yugi confessed.

"It must be hard running your own shop," Tae thought out loud. "Do you get a lot of regular customers?"

"Oh yes. In fact, I see one now-Mrs. Glump."

All six friends were walking over to the Game Shop to hang out. It had been a busy day at school, and they were ready to do some relaxing.

"Is Mrs. Glump the one flirting with your grandfather, Yugi?" Bakura asked.

"Looks like she's about ready to hit him over the head with her purse, if you ask me," Taleah commented.

Tristen froze. "Is she really that mean? Maybe we shouldn't go inside."

Joey slapped his friend on the back. "Oh, come on. She's only da woman. The worst thin' she could do is scream in yar face or start cryin'."

"You're right, women aren't all that threatening."

Tae and Taleah eyed each other.

"You forgot that we're good at slapping," Tae warned.

"And if we get mad, we start kicking," Taleah added.

Tristen leapt behind Joey. "Oh, man! Women _are _scary!"

"Don't get dem angry!" Joey cried. "Der are two standin' right next da me! I've heard dey're pretty nasty when dey're upset."

Taleah was offended. "Hey! Like men aren't much better!"

"Yeah," Tae agreed. "All they do when they're mad, sad, _or _happy is sit down in front of the television!"

"So we can turn up da volume very loud an' not hear ya screamin' at us!" Joey defended himself.

Bakura stepped in-between the arguers. "Stop it. It's not worth fighting over, really. And Tristen, you no longer have to worry. I can't see anybody in the shop."

Yugi stood on his tiptoes so he could see better. "You're right, Bakura. I wonder where they went."

As the gang drew closer, Yugi realized that there was a piece of paper on the front door of the Game Shop. It was a letter for him. An angry one.

"Whas it say, buddy?"

Yugi swallowed. "It says to hand over my Millennium Puzzle. And if I don't. . .oh my heavens! They must have taken my grandfather! Grandpa? Grandpa!"

The six bolted into the shop. Gramps and Mrs. Glump were both missing. There appeared to have been no sign of a struggle. Everybody was puzzled by the fact that two people could disappear so quickly.

"What are ya goin' da do, bro?" Joey asked Yugi. "Are ya goin' da give up ya Millennium Item?"

Before Yugi could answer, the door to the Game Shop flew open and a bunch of men in suits and dark sun glasses stepped in. There were so many that they blocked out the light that had been pouring through the windows.

"Take them away," said a voice.

Nobody had time to act before they were grabbed by the intruders and taken away into one of the back rooms. The door was shut and locked behind them. Only Yugi remained. 

"What do you want?"

"I have kidnaped your grandfather," Pegasus said. "However, I vow to return him if you hand over your Millennium Puzzle."

"No," Yugi refused. He sensed that there was more to this then what Pegasus mentioned. He wanted the Millennium Items for some reason. _I'm not giving up Grandpa without a fight._

It was then when he felt a familiar presence within him struggling to come out. Once again, he felt himself changing. He became taller, smarter, and his hair grew sharper. The presence was strong now. It advised him on what to say.

"I have a better idea," Yugi said in a much deeper voice. "How about a duel? If I win, I get back my grandfather."

Pegasus's laughter rippled through the air. "A duel? Yugi, my dear boy, you have to _earn _the right to challenge me. You must prove yourself worthy. After all, I created this game did I not?" His voice was now barely above a whisper, "I know all the secrets. All the little tricks. Against me, you can only lose."

  


The room was a small one. It was mostly used to store important papers. Not many human beings. Tristen, Joey, Tae, Taleah, Bakura, and Mrs. Glump sat in the center feeling very squashed. Pegasus's guards formed a circle around them.

"I'm going to die!" wailed Mrs. Glump. "I'm young, but yet I'll never see another day!"

"What are ya doin' here anyway?" Joey asked, pulling up his knees so Tae could have more leg space.

"Same as you, I guess. I'm going to die!"

"Everything is going to be fine," Taleah assured. "I'm sure you'll get so see your husband soon."

"Husband? Who said anything about me having a husband?"

Even the guards were all looking at Mrs. Glump now.

Bakura scratched his head. "Are you not _Mrs. _Glump? I'm sorry, but where I come from, 'Mrs.' usually means that you're married."

"I'm not married. I just pretended to be a Mrs. so I could get all the Valentines Day and Anniversary specials on all the cards. But then everybody started calling me, 'Mrs. Glump,' and I didn't have the heart to tell them that I wasn't."

Taleah put her head in her hands. "I don't believe this."

"Women," said one of the guards, sighing.

"I'm going to die!" 

This time is was Tristen.

Mrs. Glump hugged him. "Finally someone understands!"

"Don't worry, I'll get us out," volunteered Joey. "Hey Kemo? Wanna candy bar?"

Kemo's face tightened. "Get lost loser."

"Oh, so I have permission da leave?"

"Sit down! Nobody told you that you could stand. Stay put."

Joey threw his hands up. "He jus' contradicted himself! Kemo, do ya really want da waste your time guardin' me? I can get pretty annoyin'."

"I can vouch for that," Bakura said.

"It's not working," Kemo told Joey. "As much as I loathe to be around you, my job pays me good money."

"So I'm worth da money?"

"Hardly."

The three women gathered in a tight circle and started whispering. None of the men could make out what they were saying. When at last they reached some sort of agreement, (after playing a few games of rock, paper, scissors), Mrs. Glump stood up, stepped forward, and straightened her skirt. She smoothed down her hair, puffed out her chest, and walked over to Kemo.

"Hi there bad boy," she said in her most seductive voice.

"Lady, I'm warning you. Sit down."

"I love it when I'm ordered around."

"Sit down!"

"Hey, don't yell at me! I'm trying to be sexy here!"

"Take a seat!"

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Lady-" Kemo began, but then Mrs. Glump started crying. Tears flooded down her face and made big wet splashes on the floor. She looked very pitiable. Even the guards seemed to think so. One even handed her a tissue.

Kemo wasn't fooled. "Sit down lady."

Mrs. Glump stopped crying. "You meanie! You should be punished!" She glared at him through her glasses.

"I'm going to die!" Tristen cried.

"We're never going to get out of here," Taleah complained.

  


Yugi spoke. "What must I do to prove myself a worthy opponent?" He already knew the answer.

"Enter my little contest. Finalists get the pleasure of challenging me to a duel. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Don't worry. I'll be there. But the real pleasure will be defeating you and undoing all the evil acts you've committed against my family and friends."

The two man gazed at each other with apparent dislike and intense loathing. They despised one another.

Yugi knew that he had fallen into a trap. But he had no other choice. He _had _to get his grandfather back. And he _had _to make Pegasus pay.

Pegasus clapped his hands together. "Very well. You shall enter my contest. If you win, you get Pappy back and I'll give you my word that I will never bother you again. If you should lose, then I'll get two things of yours: your Puzzle and your grandfather! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

"Get out of my shop and take your goons with you!"

"Yes, Yugi. Kemo! Bring them out. We shall be leaving. See you soon, Yugiboy."

Six baffled people came out of the tiny room and went to stand behind Yugi. They all watched as Pegasus and his men left. None noticed Yugi shrink back to his normal size. The presence had left. 

Yugi clenched his fists. "If that creep thinks he can get away with all that he has done, he's wrong. I'm going to enter that tournament and take back what's mine."

~

Flower Petals: For those who read, thanks! I even got through that one. And please review. I'm feeling lazy, so I won't update until I get 8 reviews. I asked for three last time, and was shocked that I got four in less time then I believed I'd ever get one! Wow, that was confusing. . .Anyway, 8 reviews until the next update. Please review!

Taleah: 8 reviews or else!

Flower Petals: Or else you'll write all eight.

Taleah: Yeah. . .


	6. Predators and Prey

Taleah: Look out everybody! She's in a really sappy mood!

Flower Petals: (nose blowing) I'm just so happy! All the support and reviews are more then I could have ever asked for!

Taleah: Oh, no. Here's more.

Flower Petals: (blows nose again) Never did I expect that I'd get eleven reviews, when I had only asked for eight! I asked for so many because I was lazy, and now I've had to update before I became unlazy!

Taleah: Oh, brother.

Flower Petals: Did you just call me your brother?

Taleah: No! I said, "oh brother!"

Flower Petals: (looks around) We have a brother?

Taleah: Oh my heavens. . .

Flower Petals: Really? How many do you have?

Taleah: Just get on with it!

Flower Petals: Right. Okay folks, this chapter is another long one, so I, unfortunately, don't have time to chat. But I will answer a few questions. __

For Samantha J, C: You asked when Yugi and Taleah will figure out about their Millennium Items. Your answer is: Very, very ,very soon! The only thing is, back when I wrote this, I knew nothing about Millennium Items. So upset by this lack of knowledge, I invented my own reasons for the existence of these Items. 

For S. Chensu: This fan fiction is very much like the TV show. But remember, I finished writing it way before the second season ever began so I didn't know anything about the finals. This story, for the most part, follows Duelist Kingdom only with original duels, original characters, a original plot and an unforseen twist. So it won't be as long as the TV series, and actually only lasts thirteen chapters. However, since some of the chapters are soooooooo long, I've had to divide a few in half, and some into three parts.

Oh, and I wanted you to know Chensu, that I completely agree with you on Tea bashing. To tell you the truth, I've never really liked her character, but I don't believe that gives anyone reason to bash her.

Flower Petals: Thank you for everyone who reviewed: _Sakurelle, Ry the Dark/Mystical Elf, Mina-chan AMD, Kikoken, Samantha, Chensu, Maruken, (who by the way, are you sure you reviewed the right story???), my sister, And my friends who are pretty much everybody else. . ._

  


_Flower Petals_

_Predators and Prey_

School ended at last. It was a day of relief for everybody. They had all passed their final exams. (Thanks to Taleah). Because they had done so well, Tae's parents had thrown a huge party full of games, snacks, and fun. Unfortunately, the power had gone out about half way through. Everyone was thankful that Mrs. Gardner collected scented candles. So despite the dimly lit rooms, the party had continued.

Tristen and Tae had decided to come with Taleah, Yugi, and Joey, even though they didn't have invitations. When Taleah had asked how they were going to get on the ferry without a pass, Tae had replied that they were going to sneak on. How, nobody knew.

It was a sad day when they all had to say goodbye. Tae spent the afternoon with her parents. Joey and his father had gone to see a movie together. Tristen and his parents had gone to the beach. Yugi kept to himself, and temporarily closed down the Game Shop. Bakura and Taleah took a long walk.

"I'm going to miss you," Kury told Taleah.

"Likewise. I wish you could come with us."

Kury stared at the ground. "Yes, me too. You better be going now. Don't want to miss the boat, now do ya?"

Taleah hugged her friend. "See you in a little while, Mate."

  


"What do you mean you're leaving?!"

Mo stood with his hands on his hips, glaring up at Taleah. He had his lips pursed and his nose scrunched up. He looked so cute, that Taleah couldn't help but bend down and hug him.. At first, he angrily tried to shove her away, but then he relaxed and squeezed her tight. So tight, that Taleah could barely breathe.

"All right! That's enough."

"Don't leave me!"

"I have to go."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Do not!"

"Uh, huh."

Mo's eyes filled with tears. "You mean you're really leaving?"

"Yes, Mo. I'm sorry but I must. Don't forget me while I'm gone."

Mo pouted. "Great. Now all I have left to hang out with is my cruddy brother."

"Speaking of that, where is your brother?"

Mo rubbed his nose and pointed up to a balcony high above the grounds. It could have only been Kaiba's bedroom. "He's up there. He didn't want to come down for some reason."

"Ah. Well, goodbye Mo." She ruffled his hair. "The first thing I'll do when I come back is pay you a visit."

Mo sat down on the stairs and rested his chin in his hands. "I'll be waiting right here."

"Might get a little cold there," Taleah warned. "Sitting in one spot. It might rain too. And it might snow. What about food? Your quote on quote cruddy brother would have to bring you that."

"You're right." Mo sprang up. "He might poison me. I'll have to keep a close eye on him."

"You do just that," Taleah laughed.

  


Taleah had already started walking through the woods. In less then ten minutes, she'd be at the ferry and departing. She wouldn't be back for a whole month. Still, time traveled fast when you were busy. But a month seemed like such a long time. . .thirty-one days. . .seven hundred and forty-four hours. . .forty-four thousand, six hundred and forty minutes. . .God knew how many seconds. . .

All those thoughts ran through Kaiba's head as he watched Taleah leave. She'd be out of sight in a minute or two. Then she'd be gone. . .

He couldn't stand it any more. He was torturing himself! In one quick, fluid motion, he grabbed something off his desk and fled down the staircase, tripping once and almost plummeting to the bottom. 

The butler was at the front door. "Will you be needing a ride, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Not today!" Kaiba shouted over his shoulder as he sped out the door and leapt over Mo's solemn figure. _Maybe I'll catch her on time. . ._

  


Taleah felt sad about leaving Mo and Kury behind. Two of her best friends. She'd miss them a lot. Heck! She was missing them already. A month seemed like forever. . .

As she picked her way through the dense forest that was the front yard of the Kaiba mansion, she began wondering what she was doing. _What chance do I have actually winning this tournament? I just won my first duel not too long ago! There's no way I'll be a finalist. I'll lose right away. Then I'll never see my parents again._

She was almost at the ferry. She could smell the scent of sea water. Seagulls cried out above her. A few circled and dove down to snatch their unsuspecting prey off of the beach. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a pinkish hue throughout the sky.

People had already started boarding. There were vehicles all around the dock. It was too late now to turn back. . .she had made up her mind.

A twig snapped behind her.

She turned to see a tired, sweaty, Kaiba. He put a hand on a nearby mahogany tree and leaned against it, panting. It looked like he had just gone on a run. In his business suit and everything. He collected his remaining dignity and strolled over to where she stood.

"I just wanted to bid you farewell."

"Oh, I'm glad. I thought you were never going to come down from your room. Is it nice up there? Anyway, this is the last time I'll be seeing you for awhile. I mean, you going on that other business trip and all. So take good care of Mo for me."

"I will. Have a pleasant trip. I wish you the best of luck."

"I, um. . .better be going now."

"Right." Kaiba flushed red. "Wait! Here, take this."

He reached into his pants pocked and retrieved what looked like a card. A Duel Monster card. He handed it to her.

Taleah gazed at the card with amazement. It was the Change of Heart card. The one she had wanted. The one Tae had used against her. Only now, she had one of her own.

"I-I d-don't know what to s-s-say," Taleah sputtered. "Th-thank you. Thank you so much."

Kaiba looked relieved. "I'm glad you like it. I figured it would prove helpful for future uses."

"Yeah."

The ferry horn sounded. It startled Taleah so much, that she checked to make sure the boat was still there and hadn't left without her. It was still docked. Taleah sighed with relief.

She turned back to say something to Kaiba, but he had already left. _Just wanted to say goodbye. _She smiled. She was happy now.

  


"Attention boarders!" boomed Kemo. "Please present your starchips before you board the vessel. I repeat, please present your starchips before you board the vessel."

"Seems like Pegasus has Shades der doin' just about everythin'," Joey said. "Watch, next he'll be actin' as da construction worker."

Joey, Tristen, Tae, Yugi, and Taleah stood in a very long line that began at the ferry and wrapped all the way around the next few blocks. They were somewhere in the middle. The line wasn't moving very fast.

Tristen poked Joey in the shoulder. "Yo Joe, not for nothing, but would you mind telling us why you're competing? You seemed to want the three million for some reason."

Yugi knew why. "Don't Tristen, Joey is sensitive when it comes to-"

"My sister," Joey finished his friend's sentence. "My baby sister." He ran a hand through his bushy, blonde hair. "Our parents divorced when I was five an' she was three. She went far away da go live wit' our mother. Haven't seen her since. Although, not too long ago, she sent me da tape. She said. . .she said she was runnin' out of time." He swallowed. "Ya see, my sister was born wit' bad eyes. Withou' corrective surgery she'll go blind. Doctors could perform da procedure now, but it's too expensive. I'd never be able da raise da money. So I just thought by entering dis tournament, I'd have da better chance of helpin' her out. Dat's all."

"I didn't know," Tae admitted.

"We'll help you out," Yugi said with a determined look on his face. "With all of us working together, there's no way we can lose."

"Right," Taleah agreed. "Yugi is fighting for his grandfather, Joey for his sister, and me, for my parents. Together, we'll help them all."

Tristen tugged at Tae's shirt sleeve. "Very touching guys, but we have to be leaving. They've already started loading the cargo boxes."

Joey choked. "Cargo boxes? Cargo boxes! Dat's yar master plan? To sneak on board in cargo boxes!"

"Have a better idea?" Tae asked, haughtily.

Joey had to think about that one.

"Never mind. See you guys when we dock."

"Bye."

"Have a nice trip."

"In cargo boxes," Joey added.

They were almost at the entrance, where three stern faced people sat behind a table. Each looked meaner then the previous, until the last one, who was by far, the meanest, scariest, one of them all. Boarders had to present their starchips to them before they could enter the ferry.

"Hello fellow competitors," said the first one, (a lady with bright orange hair), to Yugi, Joey, and Taleah. "May I see you starchips?"

They flashed them at her.

The second person sitting behind the table, (a man with crooked teeth), spoke. "Think of these as your treasure. Very precious treasure. You are going to an island to collect more. Lose your treasure, and you will return here. Understand?"

They nodded.

The third and final person, (a man with scary, dark features), stood up. He held out what looked like handcuffs. "You must where these."

Joey freaked. "No way am I goin' da let ya arrest me! Don't take me da jail-I didn't do nothin' wrong!"

"Right hand out," ordered the man.

Yugi, Joey, and Taleah obeyed obediently. They all watched as the man rested a circular, metal bar around each of their right wrists, and snapped it into place. It fit snuggly right above the red, velvet glove. Ten star shaped holes were evenly spread all the way around. The man placed the two starchips in two of the star shaped holes.

"Keep them there."

They thanked the people politely, then entered the ferry. As soon as they got on, they were in awe. For it was the biggest sea vessel they'd ever been on. It was bigger then any luxury cruise ship, and held nearly five times the amount of people. It was strikingly attractive, with a lovely pink carpet and dashing, dark wood throughout. The first room was occupied by many luxurious chairs and booths, set in a series of rows. The second, held a few tables for eating, and a few food and soda machines. The room after that was for trading. Lots of people were already exchanging cards. Then, there was a staircase leading up to the second level which held small compartments where the passengers could sleep. Only the most exceptional duelists got their own room, equipped with a shower and everything.

Yugi, Taleah, and Joey sat down at a booth and watched as more passengers continued to board. They hadn't recognized any of the people. So many of them, they decided, must have been out-of-towners. Some looked like they had come from completely different parts of the world. None seemed to come from their small town.

Joey yawned. "I'm beat."

Yugi leaned back against the booth, next to Taleah. "Me too. Think we should call it a night?"

Taleah dug her out her dueling deck and started leaving through it. She also, (but Yugi and Joey didn't notice), slipped the Change of Heart card into her deck. "I don't know. I was thinking about trading."

"Dat's a good idea." Joey stood up and stretched. "I think I'll go and do some tradin'. How about dit Yugi?"

Yugi shook his head. "Not this time Joey. I'm happy with the way my deck is now."

"Which deck are ya usin', anyway?"

Taleah blinked. "You mean Yugi has more then one Duel Monsters Deck?"

Yugi put a hand on his head. "I have many, in fact. Eight, to be exact. But I brought none of them with me for this trip. To answer your question, Joey, I brought my grandfather's favorite deck. One that he assembled with much love and care. I figured that by dueling with his deck, in a way he'd be there fighting alongside me. Silly, I know. But still. . .Oh, and I took his rarest card: the Blue Eyes White Dragon."

Joey's eyes grew wide. "Dat one? It's pretty rare. Gramps told me abou' it. Only four din da world. Strongest card der is."

"Didn't Kaiba make your grandfather swear that he'd never use it and always keep it hidden?" Taleah asked.

"Yes. But my _grandfather _was subjected to that deal. Not me. Besides, what could Kaiba do? Kidnap my grandfather?"

"See yar point, buddy." Joey glanced anxiously over at the trading room. "Better get goin' before all da good cards are gone."

"Good luck, Joe," Yugi and Taleah said simultaneously. They smiled at each other.

"You're going to be tough to beat with that card at your disposal," Taleah stated.

"Maybe. But there are a lot of strong competitors about. One card can't win me everything. I must rely on the cards I already have."

A young kid with big, bulging eyes accosted them. "Hey, Spikey, you want to duel?"

As a reaction, Yugi's hands shot up to smooth down his hair. It just made it worse. His hair, as if being defiant, stuck out even more. "Sure. I'd be glad to."

Taleah watched as Yugi and the funky eyed kid headed towards the trading room where there were also some game boards set up. Yugi turned once and waved at her. She gave him the thumbs up signal. 

There was no doubt in her mind-she knew that Yugi would win. He was a great duelist who faithfully believed in the Heart of the Cards. She had never once seen him lose, except to his grandfather, but that was only natural. For Gramps had taught him, and no student could ever supersede their teacher's skill.

Taleah tensed up. She felt like she was being watched. Quickly, but as to not raise attention, she scanned the room. Everybody seemed content talking to one another. None payed her any attention. But one, just one, stood out from all the rest. He was sitting not too far from Taleah, watching her intently.

As soon as she met his gaze, she diverted her eyes. But just that quick glance had told her all that she needed to know. He was around her age, if not older, and was actually quite attractive. But that didn't sidetrack Taleah from the fact that whoever he was and whatever he looked like, she was still staring right at her!

_I don't want to talk to him, _she thought. _He's probably some creep. What if he comes over here and asks me if I want a drink or something? I know, I'll just leave before he can think of approaching me. _Taleah waited for a large group of people to pass by her booth, then stood and followed closely behind. _It worked. Now he won't see me leave._

"Hi. What's your name?"

Taleah nearly fainted. The boy was right behind her! How was she going to escape now? "Um. . .I forgot. And I'm twenty-one years old."

"That's pretty old," the boy thought out loud. "You didn't look that way a few seconds ago."

Taleah sighed. He was probably harmless. "Sorry. I think I remember my name now. It's Taleah. And I'm really only fifteen."

"I'm seventeen. Could I have your phone number?"

Taleah was baffled. No guy had ever asked her that question before. Except for Joey that was, when he had lost her phone number that one time. She didn't quite know who to answer him. "Phone number? Um, why? I mean, you couldn't call my house for a whole month! And by that time-" _you would have found somebody else to stare at and talk to, _she wanted to say.

The boy began to grow persistent. "Come on! Just give it to me. It's not all that hard you know. Write it down!"

Taleah got defensive. "No way!"

The boy got angry and was about to grab her, when a voice from nowhere said, "Get away from her you loser!" A hand took the kid by the shoulders and flung him away.

  


Tae and Tristen were getting bored and anxious in one of the empty cargo boxes. It was a tight squeeze, and there wasn't much to do to keep them busy. Tristen had long since drawn a line down the center, marking their boundaries. He claimed it to be even, but Tae knew that Tristen had at least a quarter of an inch more leg space then she did.

After a few games of tic-tac-toe played in the dust, Tae declared that she had finally, had enough. Both her legs were numb, and she was suffocating in the compact cargo box. So despite Tristen's protests, she stood to stretch her legs and get a break.

"Get down!" Tristen hissed. "Someone might see us! Then what? We aren't even supposed to be here!"

Tae lifted her arm above her head. "So what? We're in the middle of nowhere, Tris. What could they do if they spotted us? Throw us overboard?"

_"Us? _If somebody is going to spot anybody, it's going to be _you! _And when you're thrown overboard, don't come crying back to me!"

Tae was about to retort something back, when she heard the doors leading out to the balcony being opened; the balcony that lead to all the cargo boxes. Tristen was still yapping, so she snapped at him to be quiet.

"Me! Be quiet?! You're the one standing!"

"Shut up! Someone's coming."

"Get down!"

"No. I want to see who it is."

Tae left the safety of the cargo boxes and hid behind a beam. Not too much later, a white haired teenager existed the room he had been in, and peered out over the railing along the side of the boat. Tae's heart nearly stopped.

"Who is it? Not that you'd know, anyway."

When Tae spoke, her voice was a whisper. "It's. . .Bakura. It's Kury."

Tristen punched her playfully in the leg. "Come on. For real, Tae. Tae? Tae! Where do you think you're going?"

Tae didn't reply. She walked in a crouch and snuck closer. _It can't be Kury, _she thought. _It just can't. He's still at home, awaiting his parents' arrival. If it's not him, then who is it? How many teenagers have white hair?_

Kury, or whoever it was, turned and went back inside, closing the door behind him. Right then, Tae didn't care if she was spotted or not. After all, if it was Kury, wouldn't he be looking for his friends?

"Come back," Tristen begged. "Don't leave! We'll both get thrown overboard! Come back."

Tae didn't heed his advice.

A girl wearing high heeled leather boots that came up to her knees, a very mini, purple mini skirt, a sleeveless, white blouse that was cut so it showed her belly and didn't fully cover her chest, and a purple leather jacket who's sleeves were rolled up, stretched out a hand and helped Taleah up, off the floor. She had long, wavy, blond hair and a penetrating gaze.

"The name's Mai," she said in a voice that made her sound very stuck up. "Girls should look out for each other."

"Thanks." Taleah rubbed her sore head. She remembered being pushed down, and landing hard on the ground. But that was it. "I'm Taleah."

Mai laughed. It was a strident sound that made Taleah's ears hurt. "You don't know who I am, do you? No? I happen to be the winner of the National Duel Monsters Tournament. Or _one_ of the winners, I should say. I finished second. All thanks to that _Seto Kaiba. _That jerk! He drew all three of his Blue Eyes on me. There was no way I could win."

Taleah didn't know which to be more baffled by; the fact that Kaiba was a professional duelist, or that he had three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards. She wasn't sure she had heard Mai correctly. _"Three? _Surely, that's impossible."

Mai laughed again and put her hands on her hips. "He searched all over the world for them. Spent a fortune getting them all. Never was able to get the fourth, I guess. But even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to keep it in his deck. After all, a duelist can only have three of one kind of card in their deck."

Taleah was in a stupor. "Fourth? Three of one kind? _Seto Kaiba?"_

Mai was angry now. "Will you stop echoing everything I say? You're beginning to sound like a broken record. It's not like you know Seto Kaiba. Even I've only met him once, and believe me, I get around."

"I know him," Taleah persisted, still in her daze. "I watched over his brother, Mo, every Saturday. I spent most of my week at the Kaiba mansion. Spent the night once. . ." (Taleah didn't know what she was saying). She was still so shocked at everything.

"I'm sure _that _didn't happen," Mai said, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "You and him? Don't see that happening. Sorry girl." She spotted Taleah's bracelet. A look of greed and longing came over her face.

  


Tae followed Bakura all over the ship. He always seemed to be one step ahead; as if this was all planned.

There were so many people there. Faces flooded by, and conversations carried on. Luckily, they didn't seem to notice a girl without a dueling glove walking past. Maybe they thought she had forgotten to wear it, or had left it in her room. Or maybe, they just didn't care.

Kury disappeared around a corner. _Oh no, _Tae thought, _I've lost him. _She sped up to a jog and raced after him. _Why is he running away? Where is he leading me to? Surely, he knows he's being followed. _She turned the corner too, and found a narrow corridor that lead to a dead end and the last of the passenger rooms. The entire hall was lacking in light; somber in color.

_There is nowhere else he could have gone, _Tae thought to herself. _He has to be in that room._

  


Taleah tried her hardest to sway Mai into believing that her bracelet was worth nothing. But Mai was not too easily convinced. She asked Taleah questions about its origin, and became even more suspicious when Taleah didn't have answers.

"I told you already," Taleah said in an exasperated sigh, "I have no idea."

Mai got cross. "So it doesn't mean anything to you, huh? Well, if it's not worth anything, why don't you sell it to me right now?"

Taleah gulped.

  


Tae knocked on the door. No one answered. She tried hollering at the person to come out, but it didn't work. After a few ferocious attempts at bringing the door down, she discovered it was unlocked. So she entered.

The room was pitch black She couldn't even see the back of her hand. She couldn't see anything! There was no light switch anywhere. Was Kury in there? If he was-

A hand clasped around her mouth and drew her in close. There was no use struggling-whoever it was who had her, was too strong. Besides, Tae had the sickening feeling that it was Kury keeping her still.

A raspy whisper erupted near her ear. "You were never here. You did not find what you were looking for. Go back to the cargo boxes where you were hiding."

Whatever insensible condition she had been in, she was cured from now. Her mind was clear. "Thank you for helping me out," Taleah told Mai. "My friends are probably looking for me. I should find them." Even as she left, she could feel Mai's gaze follow her.

She met back up with Yugi and Joey in the eating quarters. They were sitting on top of a table, back turned to her, discussing winning dueling strategies and Joey's latest trades.

Taleah sat in-between them. "How did your duel go, Yugi? Get a few good cards, Joey?"

"Won five out of five games," Yugi told her proudly. "Never did draw my Blue Eyes White Dragon card, though."

Joey grinned, devilishly. "Well, if ya really don't need dit pal, I'd be willin' da take good care of it for ya."

"No, I don't think so Joe."

The three sat on the table for some time, enjoying each other's company. It had been a long while since they had just hung out. Taleah had been busy with Mo, Yugi had been running his grandfather's shop, and Joey had been in Tristen's company. They hadn't had time for one another at all.

"Wanna sleep?" Joey asked.

Yugi and Taleah were already walking up the stairs leading to their rooms.

"Slow poke," Taleah joked.

"If you hadn't tripped and snapped Joey out of his daze, we would have been asleep before he even realized that we were gone," Yugi claimed.

"Daze? What are ya talkin' about? I knew da whole time dat ya guys were headin' up to. . .uh, where_ are_ ya guys goin'? Guys? Hey, guys! Wait for me!"

  


Tristen was furious. "Tae, where did you go? Get down before someone sees you!"

Tae appeared to be in some kind of trance. She walked like a robot, placing one foot down, then bending at the knee of her other leg, slowly lifting, and then stepping down. Her eyes were unfocussed and she spoke emphasizing syllables and pausing after each word.

"I was never there. I did not find what I had thought I was looking for. I've come back to the cargo boxes where I had been hiding."

Tristen didn't know what to make of her. "Whatever. Anyway, you'll be happy to know that I re-drew our boundary line. Now, I'm pretty sure it's even. You can check if you want. I'm going to bed. You can sleep over there. See you in the morning."

  


The ferry ride was almost over. The sun had risen a few hours before, and cast its golden brilliance upon the sea, making it glitter and sparkle. The continuous body of water spread out in every direction for what looked like infinity. From one of the balconies, one could see only the water, and a fantastic island right out in the middle, with monstrous trees and a sandy shore.

A voice sounded over the intercom. "We're almost there folks. To the Duelist Kingdom itself! Hundreds of acres of forest, valleys, desserts, beaches, woods, meadows, trails, marshlands, and adventures! Yup, this place has it all!" The speaker went on to tell the listeners about how the island had formed thousands of years ago and how it had come into the possession of Pegasus.

The five friends, Tristen, Joey, Tae, Yugi, and Taleah stood on one of the balconies, each shaken up about their own adventures they had had the previous night. Joey was worried if he'd made all the right trades, Tae remembered nothing of the whole trip and that bothered her, Tristen was positive that somebody had seen him and was ranting on and on about being thrown overboard, and Taleah was growing more curious about her Millennium Item. She knew nothing about it! Except that it was ancient. Yugi, however, was fine and assured his friends that whatever lay ahead for them, they'd face it together.

Tae nodded her head. "Right. Because friends should stick together and always be there for each other."

Yugi held onto the railing as he let the wind whip at his face. "Whatever awaits us down the road is just another adventure for us to take on."

~

Flower Petals: Thank you for reading! I know it started off slow, and sorry for that. But it gets better! The next chapter will actually take place in Duelist Kingdom where somebody will duel! And somebody will lose their only hope of saving the one person they care most about. . .Bwahahahahahahahahahahahah! 

Anyway, if you want to see more, please review! R-E-V-I-E-W! I'd like to have ten reviews before my next update. Thanks everyone!


	7. The Uncertain

Flower Petals: Well, what do ya know? I got ten reviews after all! I really wasn't waiting for ten reviews. Honestly, I wasn't! It's just that my computer broke down, and as you know, I couldn't update without that, so I ended up getting ten reviews after all. Betcha didn't count on that, did ya? Did ya?

Anyway, this chapter is long, but shorter then the last one, so I have time to chat!

For Sakurelle: Thank you so much for reviewing my story. It means sooooo much to me. And it's really nice to see your name first to review. Thank you!!!

For Mina and Nari: You're reading my story!!! I'm so happy!!!I know you're behind a few chapters, but when you get here, I just want you to know that I'm extremely thankful for your reviews. And, that I can't wait until Domino Baseball is updated!

For Taleah: Thank you sister! I hope I'm doing a just and fair job on your character. Only had to tweak your personality a bit. . .No, just kidding. . .Thank you. . .

For Chensu: Sooo, seeing your name at the beginning of a story freaks you out, huh? Sorry, Chensu, Chensu, Chensu. Chensu, Chensu, Chensu, Chensu, Chensu! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

Taleah: The dark side in her is strong!

Really though, thanks. . ._Chensu. . ._And your welcome for answering your questions. If you have any more, feel free to ask! And I'll try my best to answer. . .

For Samantha: Thank you for reviewing! Where'd ya go, though?

And thank you, my close friends: Yami, Kurama, Kaiba. Though, not so much Kaiba. . .(Don't worry, I know this reviewer personally, so I can be mean to him if I want to!)

And thank you Kikoken and Kalena, (ug! Is that how to spell your nickname? Sorry, bad memory)

And thank you to anybody who I forgot. Hopefully, I didn't forget anybody. . .If I did, sorry!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything pertaining to it. But I do own my bubblegum. . .

  


_Flower Petals_

_The Uncertain_

  


As soon as the boat docked, the pier was inundated with passengers stampeding by, on their way to Pegasus's castle where Pegasus was supposed to make a speech. Everyone slowed down though, when they saw there was going to be steady climb all the way there.

Taleah and company all managed to sneak off the ferry successfully although, Tristen _had _provided them with a close call. They walked slower then the rest of the contenders, relishing in the beauty of the island. All followed a cobble stone path that twisted and turned all the way up the small mountain. On the top, was the greatest of Pegasus's castles.

It hovered above all else and gave the impression of might and authority. It was extremely old, but still stood proudly. All the competitors, gathered underneath.

Nothing happened for awhile, and the air grew tense with anticipation. Where was Pegasus? Many of the crowd wondered. What was going to happen? Some began to shout in protest. When at last, Pegasus emerged from one of the many balconies, lots of people were too angry to applaud. But Pegasus's charm easily won them over.

"Greetings duelists, I am Maximilian Pegasus."

The crowd cheered.

"It is my great honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Duelist Kingdom. You stand before me, the world's greatest. But come tournaments end, only one will be crowned King of Games.

"I employ you all to assemble your dueling decks with care, with creativity, with. . .cunning. For this competition will test your skills like never before.

"To track you progress in the tournament, you've each been given a dueling glove. You've also been given two precious starchips. You must wager these starchips on each duel you compete in. 

"To advance to the final level of competition for a chance at the three million dollar prize, win ten starchips. Ten starchips will admit you into my castle where you'll face me in one final duel.

"This will be a tournament unlike any you've ever experienced. Sate-of-the-ark dueling arenas cover this entire island.

"Remember, play boldly, think strategically, duel mercilessly. When the sky lights up with fireworks, the duels will begin."

The duelists applauded rambunctiously. It took many minutes before everybody quieted down. When the last person was done cheering, fireworks bursted forth into the sky. They shone brightly, vivid in color.

"Let the games begin!" someone shouted.

Before long, there was a mess of people running off in every direction. Mobs swarmed around the castle like tourists. Some were even challenging each other to duels on the spot, and_then _searching for the dueling arenas. Maps were quickly forgotten, and over half of the duelists there quickly got lost.

Since it was a beautiful day, Taleah and her friends went to the meadow regions, assuming that it would be way too hot in a desert, dense forest, wood, valley, and hiking on trails, and too grimey for the marshlands. A meadow seemed like the perfect place to hang out. And maybe even get challenged.

"Here we are guys," announced Yugi. "Now what?"

Taleah touched her Bracelet. "I bet my dueling glove that my parents are in that castle. But with all those guards around, we could never just sneak in. We must quickly win ten starchips and enter that castle and rescue my parents and your grandfather!"

Tristen put his hands on her shoulders. "Slow down, girl!"

"She's right though," Yugi agreed. "The quicker we win those starchips, the sooner we get to confront Pegasus."

A very strange kid with a happy, eager personality ran up to Joey and took his hands. "Duel me? Ya, ya?"

Joey almost fainted. "A duel? Man, I just got here."

"Here's your chance to double your starchips," Tae stated. "Go for it."

The kid was so excited that his breath came out in ragged gasps. "Dueling arena. . .over. . .here. . .Ya. . .come. . .ya!"

They all were about to find out just what "state-of-the-ark dueling arenas" meant. For on that island, duels weren't played on small gameboards or tables. But on gigantic dueling stadiums that came out of the ground itself.

The earth rumbled and shook, taking everyone by surprise. It parted, revealing a humongous stadium underneath. The stadium ascended out of the ground until it sat many feet above them all. It was as large as a tennis court. In the far corner was the number, 147. 

Two different colored mechanisms rose from opposite ends of the playing field and clicked into place. They were obviously where the duelists were to stand. A platform on both sides descended from the top of them, and lowered themselves to the ground. They were to act as miniature elevators, raising each duelist to their playing positions.

A metal, triangular simulator attached to a metal pole, emerged, and sat high above the arena. As soon as it began working, the playing field lit up with multiple colors and numbers appeared on each of the duelists' playing stations.

"Step onto the platform," the kid instructed. "It will raise you to your station. There, you can play all your cards and unleash your wrath. Unlike usual games, we'll start with two thousand life points. Whoever reaches zero life points, will be the loser."

Joey gulped. "Two thousan' life points? Oh man, oh man. I'm used da playin' wit' eight thousan' life points!"

"It's okay!" Tae shouted from far below. "So what if there's a six thousand life points difference! You're still going to whip his-"

Taleah put a hand over her friend's mouth. "You should start acting like a lady."

"I was just going to say-"

"Uh-huh."

Joey looked like he was sweating. Big time. His hands shook as he drew his first five cards and he nearly fainted again when he saw what they were.

The kid spoke again. "We'll each wager two starchips. I am in the red dueling station because I am the Challenger. You're in the blue, because you're the Challenged. Challengers always go first. So I will take the first turn. And I choose to play Pale Beast in attack mode!"

Lights penetrated the field so blinding, that they were hard to look upon for very long. Slowly, they transformed into a strange creature with skin tinged bluish-white. It was a fearsome sight to behold, for it was extremely life like. The holographic image was impeccable. The details of the enormous beast was perfect. It was an exact replica of the image on the Duel Monster card.

"It looks so real!" Tae said in awe.

Tristen hid behind Taleah. "So scary!"

Taleah pinched her nose. "I can almost smell it!"

Joey was highly intimidated. Numbers lit up in the right hand corner of his dueling station telling him that his opponent's life points were still at two thousand and that his monster had an attack strength of fifteen hundred and a defense of twelve hundred.

"Alright," Joey said, "I play Claw Reacher din attack mode. Attack!"

Once again, lights shone brightly and quickly changed into the form of Joey's monster. It was a formidable opponent with metallic, stretching arms, and razor sharp claws. It charged at the Pale Beast.

"Pale Beast, counterattack!"

Kid: 2000

Joey: 2000

"Joey, call off your attack!" Yugi warned, urgently. "Your monster has an attack strength of one thousand! It will be eliminated and you will lose a chunk of your life points!"

It was too late-the Claw Reacher collided into Pale Beast's jaws. At first nothing happened. But then Claw Reacher started to glow, and quickly dissipated. Joey could only watch helplessly as his life points were lowered down to fifteen hundred.

"Oh, no!" he cried. "I have da start bein' more careful." He drew another card from his deck. "Alright. I'll play dis card face down din defense mode. At least with da defense monster out in da field, I have somethin' guardin' my life points."

"That's right, Joey," Yugi said, encouragingly. "You can do this. Just play wisely."

"Attack!" screamed the kid.

The Pale Beast charged forward and swiped at Joey's face down card. It was destroyed, and therefore eliminated from play. But Joey's life points remained unharmed.

It went on for awhile; Joey strengthening his defenses, and his opponent doing his best to destroy it. So far, the Pale Beast was the only attacking monster in play. Neither one of the duelists had laid down any trap or magic cards. That was, until Joey drew his next card.

"Shield an' sword?" he thought out loud. "Wha' does dis do? Hmmm. . .Oh, yeah! Now I remember. Dis card swaps my opponent's monster's attack points with its defense points." He smiled evilly. "Oh, man. I just got da killer idea. I'll play Flame Swordsman din attack mode an' I'll also play dis magic card."

A mighty warrior in a blue and red tunic appeared. He whirled his long sword above his head and growled at his foe.

"The Flame Swordsman has an attack strength of eighteen hundred," Yugi explained to his friends. "Whereas the Pale Beast is only fifteen hundred. But that's not all. Joey's magic card swaps its attack, (fifteen) with its defense (twelve hundred). So therefore, Joey's monster is six hundred attack points stronger."

"It also means that the Flame Swordsman's attack and defense is exchanged as well," Taleah added. "That would make it only four hundred points stronger."

"No!" shouted the kid. "My Pale Beast-it's gone!"

Kid: 1600

Joey: 1500

The balance of power had shifted-now it was Joey ripping through his opponent's forces. The kid kept playing his cards in defense mode, so although they were sacrificed, his life points remained safe.

Joey placed down a trap card. "I'll lay dis card face down, endin' my turn."

The kid smiled. "It seems like I've finally drawn a card that might change the outcome of this game. . .In my favor. I play Rude Kaiser in attack mode with the power of eighteen hundred! It's strong enough to go head to head with you Swordsman. Rude Kaiser, Forearm Slash!"

"Not so fast!" Joey cried, flipping over the trap card that he had just played a turn ago. "I'll active my trap, Kueneye and' Chain! It lowers an attackin' monsters strength by seven hundred."

A chain whipped out from nowhere and fastened itself around the Rude Kaiser, stopping it in its tracks.

Flame Swordsman: 1800

Rude Kaiser: 1100

"I'll also play his card," Joey continued. "Salamandra! Dis magic card equipped with a fire monster, raises its attack by seven hundred."

Flame Swordsman: 2500

Rude Kaiser: 1100

Flames erupted from the Swordsman's sword and pierced right through the Rude Kaiser's tough, reptilian skin. With an angry roar of protest, it broke away into multiple pieces and disappeared.

Kid: 200

Joey: 1500

"Great move!" Tristen cheered. He came out of hiding and started waving his fists triumphantly in the air. "You get him, bro!"

"I give," the kid said. "I just don't have any more strong cards. You win."

Joey couldn't believe his ears. "Won? I won?" When the realization hit him, he joyfully sprang into the air, (almost falling over the back of the platform). "I did it guys!"

"Yup," Yugi beamed. "Not only that, but you also got two more starchips. You have four now."

The kid didn't seem at all troubled with his loss. On the contrary, he looked happy. He skipped right over to Joey, congratulated him, and enthusiastically handed over his starchips.

"I lost! Ya. . .I'm going home, but I did my best." He pranced away merrily.

"Dude, I don't understand him," Tristen said.

"I want da buy everybody lunch," Joey declared.

"That would be great," Taleah stated, "if there was a restaurant anywhere around here."

"I'm sure there is," Yugi said optimistically.

  


They must have walked quite a few miles before they ran into a little cafe. It was a small, humble place that smelled strongly of popcorn and hotdogs. Inside were a few old fashioned booths and tables. While his friends found a place to sit, Joey ordered the food.

He set the tray with all their meals down on the table. "Got ya all a hot dog."

Tae counted with her fingers. Her brow wrinkled in thought. When she finally got whatever answer she had wanted, she frowned at Joey. "You got yourself two hotdogs while we each got only one!"

Joey shrugged. "Well, I _did _win, didn't I?"

His friends laughed and slapped him on the back. They were all very proud of him.

"How's your hotdog, Tae?" Yugi asked.

Tae wiped her face with a napkin. "Pretty good I should say."

Joey raised his hotdog in the air. "Da taste of victory! Cheers everybody! Da victory!"

They rose their hotdogs and bumped them all together in cheer. It was very messy-ketchup and relish flew everywhere and Taleah even dropped hers. Joey's and Tristen's stuck together and wouldn't break free.

"I don't think that was a smart idea," Tae stated. "We should stick with glasses."

Yugi held his glass of water close. "No way am I spilling my drink."

Tristen stared at him. "Why? Joey would just have to buy you another one. Hey! That's a good idea! Everybody spill your drinks so Joey has to buy more."

"Guys!" Joey shot up. "Don't ya dare!"

"Ah, he was just kidding Joey," Yugi said. "You can sit back down. None of us are going to spill our drinks on purpose."

"How about by accident?" Everybody looked at Taleah. "When Joey jumped up, he bumped the table and well. . .there went my drink. It's on the floor now. So Joey, if you _really_want to, you can get me another one."

Joey looked horrified.

Right then, the door to the cafÉ opened and a girl with long, golden hair entered. She wore a skimpy outfit, and gave the impression that she was very selfish and stuck on herself. Taleah recognized her right away and tried to hide.

Tae watched as her friend gradually sank beneath the table. "What's wrong? Do you know her?"

"Shhhh! I don't want her to see me-" It was too late-Mai had already spotted her and began walking over to the table.

She stood in front of it and flipped her hair. "So these are your friends, huh?"

"Yes." Reluctantly, Taleah sat up. "This is Yugi Muto, Tristen Taylor, Tae Gardner, and Joey Wheeler."

"Nice to meet ya," Yugi said politely.

Joey lifted his arm to show her his dueling glove. "I have four starchips already. Not bad, huh?"

Mai was unimpressed. "Glad to see you can count. Four?" She laughed. "You see kid, I already have six." She spun her wrist around so all could see.

Joey pouted. Suddenly, his small victory didn't seem all that important.

To change the subject, Yugi asked Mai a few questions about herself. She was very much obliged to answer all of them, for she was very full of herself. They engaged in a conversation about different schools and styles of teaching.

Yugi was really the only friendly one sitting at the table-Taleah was still trying to hide, Joey was pouting and not saying anything, Tristen was scared of Mai, and Tae had become hostile because she was envious Yugi was talking to a beautiful girl."

"Come and sit with us," Yugi offered.

Mai refused. "I like you, Yugi. Really, I do. But your friends. . .well lets just say that I don't want to be seen with such losers." She turned to Taleah. "Have you changed your mind about that Bracelet? I could pay a handsome price."

"No, Mai," Taleah answered. "The Bracelet stays with me."

"Very well. Farewell losers." She strutted out of the cafe.

Taleah threw her arms up in defeat. "I don't understand! What are Millennium Items? What is their significance? I wish I knew the tale."

"I could tell you if you like."

It was the manager of the cafÉ. He was a middle aged man with an outgoing demeanor. He had obviously been sweeping, for there was a broom still in his hands.

Tae scooted over so that he could sit down. "You know the story? Please, tell us."

"It's a long tale," the manager said, taking a seat. "I am afraid it will take awhile."

"That's okay," everybody said at the same time. They smiled at one another.

"Alright. Mmm. . .where to start? Oh, yes. In the beginning of course. Five thousand years ago there was a game called Duel Monsters, played with real monsters. Each duelist had their own beasts. Duels were mostly fought to decide territorial disputes or to prove if one was fit to be called a man. They usually ended with one duelist, (most likely the loser) dead, and the other, seriously injured. It was a dangerous game, and it easily got out of hand. Many people started disappearing, and even dying. The monsters that had belonged to the dead duelists were free to roam the earth! Complete chaos ensued. 

"Then a man came out of nowhere, it is said, and declared that he would help; that he would banish all the creatures and bring back all the vanished; that he would help the people rebuild and begin a better life. But not without a cost. In return, he wanted their very souls, for it was believed back then, that the more souls one owned, the more powerful he became.

"Well, seeing that they lived not a life at all-constantly fearing the unknown, they gave themselves to him, their very essence. But on one condition-that their children could live on and bear with them the seeds of those who sacrificed themselves. It was agreed.

"By using dangerous magic, the man took their souls and bore each one in a different item, stashed away for all eternity.

"The man did what he had promised. All the monsters had disappeared, and the children of those who were gone, lived on, as did many more generations.

"The man had all he had ever wanted-unlimited power. People worshiped him as one would a God. For to him, he was their leader, their mentor.

"After awhile, his powers began to fade, for so much power could not be contained in the body of one man, and nothing lasted forever. His body grew old and decrepit, while he still felt young and alive. In the end, he disappeared, seemingly from the face of the earth and was never heard of again. 

"People grew curious. They began searching for answers. Where had their beloved leader gone? Then, at last, they found Them-the Items that bore their ancestors' souls. They seethed with power and magic. They were the only thing left of the brave people who had given up themselves so that their children could live a better life. So the Items were held dear.

"But as it was, these people were at war with neighboring lands, and without a leader, they were helpless. Their lands were stolen, and so were the Items. The conquerors, not knowing Their value, sold and traded the Items like any other belonging. That is how They got separated. Scientists aren't sure of Their locations to this day.

"They are called Millennium Items because They were created many millennia ago. They are said to posses powerful and deadly magic.

"That is how my mother told me the story," the manager concluded. "Just a fairy tale, passed down through the generations. Well, I'll be letting you go now."

"Thank you so much for your time and help," Yugi said. He stood up and rubbed his head. "I really had no idea. I'm in shock."

Taleah too, was mesmerized by the tale. "You think there are really souls trapped inside our Millennium Items?"

"I don't know," Yugi admitted. "If it's true, it would sure explain alot. Woosh. . .I'm just in awe. . ."

  


The five of them walked around for a bit, occasionally stopping to watch certain people duel. Everybody there were awesome players who each had years of experience at the game. Which was what frightened Taleah the most.

She was afraid to duel. She only had two starchips. If she lost them, she'd be kicked off the island! One sloppy move and then she'd be done for. She'd have to go home with the knowledge that Pegasus had won. He'd get her Bracelet and keep her parents. She must win starchips, she _had _to. The problem was-she'd have to duel people to get them. She had been challenged twice now, but she had refused both times.

"Well all have faith in you," Yugi told her. "You just have to believe in yourself. If you keep telling yourself that you're going to lose, then you've already lost. Trust in your abilities."

"Yeah," Joey agreed, "whatever Yugi jus' said. I dwas afraid dat first too. But I faced my fears an' now I have four starchips! I rock!"

Tae rolled her eyes. "Oh please, spare me."

"Don't get cocky," Tristen warned. "You _do _only have four starchips."

Joey was upset. "_Only? _I'll show ya. I'm goin' da double dem right here, right now."

Tae looked around. "I don't see anybody. Just_ what _exactly are you going to duel with? Yourself?"

"Dat guy!" Joey pointed to a tall man about twenty who was wearing a blue jacket that said, "National Duel Monsters Tournament." He had his back turned to them.

_National Duel Monsters Tournament? _Taleah thought to herself. _Only finalists in the competition get to have the member's jacket. That must mean this guy is a pro. _"Joey, I don't think you should duel him. He's obviously a professional."

"I can take him. Hey ya! Ya, I'm talkin' da ya big fella. Wanna duel me? I'll wager four starchips."

The man turned around. He had round features and a criticizing gaze. He obviously didn't consider Joey much of an opponent. He looked him up and down. "Rondayas. I finished fourth in the National Tournament in New York. Four starchips it is."

"I'm Joey. Never been din any kind of competition before."

Rondayas laughed. "Alright Joey, lets see how you handle me as an opponent."

"Joey," Yugi whispered to his friend as all six of them headed over to a dueling arena, "it's not too late-call off his duel. This guy is an expert."

"What are ya sayin' Yug? Dat I can't take him?"

Yugi sighed. "No. I just mean, be careful. I've heard of Rondayas. He's good. Don't take him lightly."

The dueling arena that Joey and Rondayas were to battle on was located in the valley region of the island. It was a field replete with many different kinds of wild flowers and the greenest grass. The dark sky cloaked the lower regions in shadow, making them seem very mysterious.

The night had gotten dark pretty fast. Now, it was only the bright stars and glowing moon that illuminated their path. That, and the bright, shining fixture of the dueling stadium.

Joey stepped onto a platform that immediately elevated itself to his dueling station. There, he drew his first five cards and played out his turn. Joey was good, but Rondayas had a high degree of knowledge and skill at the game. He played cunningly and masterfully. And he led an oblivious Joey right into a carefully planned trap. Joey stood no chance against such an expert. So inevitably, he lost.

"Wit' dat magic card out on da field, my monsters are toast," Joey admitted. "I can't play anythin' else. My cards are useless da me now."

"Then I will unleash my final assault," Rondayas declared. "Man Eater Plant, attack!"

The field lit up with color and action as Joey's last monster was destroyed and thus, eliminated from the field. He gripped the sides of his dueling station as the shock waves from his opponent's attack hurtled by. Then he watched as his life points diminished to zero.

"That was a good duel," said Rondayas. "I'm glad I agreed to it. Now, about my four new starchips. . ."

Joey bit his lip. "My only four starchips! I'm goin' da be thrown off da island!"

~

Flower Petals: A cliffhanger! Bwahahahahahahahahahaha! Ah, the joys of evil. . .

On a serious note, for those who read all the way through, thanks! And please review! For those who didn't, you probably won't get this message, so it's just a waste of space but I thought I'd type something anyway. I don't really care how many reviews I get this time-

Taleah: Yeah you do. You start to cry if you get any less then five.

Flower Petals: #starts to tear up# You're not supposed to tell anybody that!

Taleah: Okay readers, five reviews or else she'll cry!

Flower Petals: Er! #chases sister around room, crying#


	8. Skills and Bravery

Flower Petals: I guess no one liked the last chapter. . .Only Sakurelle-THANK YOU SO MUCH, I LOOOOOOOVE YOU! and my sister-YOU ARE THE BEST SISTER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!! reviewed. 

Oh, well. Thank you everyone else for the reviews you submitted in the past. Please read, and if you like, please review. . .

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, though Rondayas is mine so don't steal him!!!__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Skills and Bravery_

  


"You can't do that!" Tae claimed. "It's not fair!"

Rondayas was puzzled. "I won fair and square."

Tae wasn't giving up. "You can't just take all of his starchips. He won't be allowed to compete anymore! He'll be sent home. You don't want to have to live with the guilt-"

Rondayas put up a hand. "He challenged _me. _Not the other way around. It was his mistake. Tell your friend not to be overconfident. It'll help him stay out of trouble."

Tristen felt that it was his turn to stand up for Joey. "Don't walk away! How about a rematch? You and him. Winner takes all."

"No." Rondayas snapped the last starchip into place around his wrist. Then he headed off. 

"I shouldn'ta rushed into dis whole thin'," Joey confessed. "Now how am I goin' da help my sister?"

Yugi put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sure we can think of a way to let you stay. If not, I'll give you one of my starchips. Sure, I'll only have one left, but it would be worth it if you get to remain on the island."

"I don't know," Joey mumbled.

Taleah knew. While the rest of her friends gathered around Joey telling him that it would be okay, she stalked off. Only one thing mattered to her right then-getting back Joey's starchips. She'd do whatever she had to, to get them back. So despite her fear, Taleah marched right up to Rondayas and challenged him to a duel.

"If I win, Joey gets back his starchips. If I lose, you can have mine."

"You only have two," Rondayas observed.

Taleah's heart sank. "Yeah. How about this, I'll give you my whole Duel Monsters deck. It's not exactly the best, but it has a few good cards. Oh, and when you win-oops, I mean if, I'll give you my solemn promise that none of my friends will ever bother you again."

"I'd like that," Rondayas joked. "Especially since it seems that I've earned myself a bad reputation with them. But listen lady, I really don't want to take your starchips."

"It doesn't matter," Taleah persisted. "Joey is on his knees in pain. Not because he lost the duel, but because he may have lost the only chance he has of helping his sister, who desperately needs his help. If I could rewind time, I would. I'd slap Joey across the face if that is what it would have taken to convince him not to duel you. But unfortunately, I can't take back time. And I can't stand to see my friend like this. Now, I may not be able to do anything about that, but if I don't try, I'll hate myself forever! It's worth the risk if I can give Joey a second chance."

"I see. But I still don't want to duel you."

"Please! I'm no thief, but I'll snatch those starchips off your dueling glove if I have to. Please!"

"Boy, you are stubborn," Rondayas laughed. "Fine. If that is what you wish, then so be it. But I'm warning you, I'm never going to duel you or any of your friends ever again, no mater what the outcome of this duel is."

As soon as Joey heard what Taleah was doing for him, he started crying. He was touched that she would do such a thing. So much, that he tried to hug her.

Taleah pushed him away. "I haven't won your starchips, _yet!" Oh, what am I doing? Maybe this is a mistake._

Suddenly, light resounded from Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. It cloaked him in a golden brilliance. He began to grow taller, his features, became sharper. His voice, deeper. Once again, he had become Yu-Gi-Oh. But this time the inner presence wasn't there to guide him, or to give him advice. It was there to help him persuade Taleah into believing in herself.

"You will do just fine," he said. "This is just like any other duel. Remember, trust in your deck. Believe in the Heart of the Cards."

Taleah nodded. The Heart of the Cards was a might powerful thing. It was also her only chance at winning the duel. She knew she had a good deck. The problem was drawing the right card at the right time. For many duelists, it was a game of chance. Luck. But for her and the few who believed in the Heart of the Cards, it was their faith that would sometimes draw them from the very jaws of defeat.

The platform raised Taleah to her dueling station. She nearly panicked when she saw how high up she was. The ground seemed so far below. All her friends looked like midgets. 

She set her deck on a protruding shelf on the right corner of her dueling station. It was an interesting place. There were so many different buttons and gadgets, that she quickly lost track of which one did what. Outlines lined with sparkling colors marked the places where her cards were to be put whenever she executed a play. To the right of the game board was a small screen that read two thousand in bright red. A dull blue two thousand (for the opponent) was placed right beside it.

"It is your turn," Rondayas reminded her.

"Oh, right." _What to do. I don't have any strong monsters in my hand right now. I really don't want to play a weak monster in attack mode incase he attacks it with a much stronger one. I'd flush out a lot of life points that way. No, I'll just play it safe._

"I'll play this monster face down in defense mode," she announced.

"Very well. Then I'll summon this beast and order it to attack!"

Taleah's defense monster was quickly wiped out. And so were many more to come. That was, until she drew a strong beast card and took away seven hundred of Rondayas's life points. Her monster dominated the field for some time, eliminating all its foes. But Rondayas wasn't about to let her win without putting up a fight. At the last possible moment, he drew the very card that would almost ensure him victory. He had been buying himself time until he drew it. And now that it was on the field, it seemed as if the duel had come to an end.

Besides that one card, he had two monsters out on the field; one with an extremely high attack strength, and one somewhat weaker, but still strong.

Taleah's heart sank deeper then it ever had before. She was down to two hundred and fifty life points. The next turn, she'd be wiped out. She had failed. She had lost. Now, both her and Joey would be sent home. Her bracelet, her most prized possession, would be Pegasus's. And so would her parents. Her parents! Taleah clutched at her chest. Had she lost them? Were they gone forever? She had failed. Oh, she had failed so miserably. How could she ever have thought she could help? Had winning one duel gotten to her head? Now, everything would be lost; everything that had ever mattered to her.

Tears flooded down her face. She would never see her parents again. She'd never see her father reading the newspaper in the morning, or her mother remembering her backpack after she had already walked out the door without it, or her parents arguing over car and house keys that they had supposedly lost, or even her parents dancing. . .wrapped in each other's arms like nothing existed outside of their embrace. . .they'd never get to do any of that again. And it was all her fault.

_You fool, _said a voice in her mind. _For someone who claims to be a true believer in the Heart of the Cards, you sure give up easily. Don't lose hope, not yet. Draw your next card. Play out your turn. Draw your next card._

Taleah stretched out a hand for her deck. For some reason, it was just out of her reach. She tried again, but it slipped further away. Every time she reached for it, it seemed to slide away from her grasp.

_Draw your next card._

"I can't," Taleah sobbed. "The cards-they won't stay still! How can I draw a card if it keeps moving away from me?"

_Your deck senses your doubt. If you really are a true believer, don't let your personal feelings interfere with your faith. Trust, true believer. Believe. Draw your next card._

An inner warmth radiated from her bracelet. It cloaked and wrapped itself around her, calming her in its warm embrace. It gave her a new source of courage. For right then, she realized that the duel was not over yet. Not until her life points reached zero, would she admit defeat. Her parents were counting on her, and so was Joey's sister.

"I've put all my faith into this next card," Taleah said out loud, "so let it be revealed!" She quickly drew the top card from her deck and slapped it down on the game board.

It was the Change of Heart card. The one Kaiba had given her. _Why, I have forgotten all about it. I couldn't have drawn a better card._

"The Change of Heart card allows me to control one opposing monster," she explained. "I think I'll have your strongest monster attack the weak one. Before, I couldn't attack your weak monster for the stronger one would eliminate mine next turn and I'd lose precious life points. But now, the different between both your monster's attack points will be subtracted from your life points! Therefore, bringing you down to zero."

As Taleah had ordered, Rondayas's stronger monster brutally assaulted the weaker one, attacking its own comrade. It was obliterated from the field in a dazzling array of light and colors.

Taleah: 250

Rondayas: 0

The platforms lowered her and Rondayas to the ground. They met half way around the stadium. Taleah was filled with so much enthusiasm, that she couldn't help but smile. Rondayas looked a little disappointed, but not upset.

"You've earned these," he said. "Good job."

"Thanks." Taleah held out her hands as Rondayas poured four starchips into them. She didn't bother saying good bye to her opponent. No, she marched right up to Joey and handed the starchips to him.

"I d-d-don't know wha' da s-say," he sputtered.

"How about 'thank you'?"

"No. I mean, yes, thank you. But no, I can't take dem. I don't deserve dem. I lost dem. Ya got dem back."

"For _you." _Taleah was beginning to get aggravated. "I got them back for _you. _I won them for _you."_

"I'm not goin' da accept dem," Joey persisted. "Dey're not mine."

"They were yours. And they still are. They just kind of alternated ownership between a few people to get back to you. That's all. Now take them."

"I will. But only if ya take half. Sure, I fought for dem an' won dem, but den I lost dem. Ya fought an' won dem back. Dey're yours now. I really don't thin' it's fair for me da take any. But I'm willin' da compromise. Take two."

Taleah sighed. Joey was too stubborn to argue with. He was right though. She had won them. And she did feel entitled to them. Taking all four, just hadn't seemed fair. "You've got yourself a deal, bro."

Joey grinned. "Knew ya'd give in." He handed her two starchips.

Taleah accepted them in disbelief. She had won two starchips! They were hers. Not anybody's else's. Now she had four in all. She only had to get six more, then she could enter Pegasus's castle.

"We'll have to set up camp," Tae stated. "There are no hotels or inns on this island. So it's really just like camping out in the wilderness. Good thing I brought a tent. Only big enough for three people though. Sorry, but us girls get the tent."

Joey's eyes widened. "I don' thin' so! Der are three guys. We are da three people dat will sleep in dat tent fit for three. Do da math. You an' Taleah are only two. Dat would leave one space in da tent open."

"Nu-uh," Taleah protested. "You see, us girls need the extra space. We like to roll around and throw our limbs out."

"We also like to flip our hair a lot, and that can take up a lot of space," Tae added. "But Joey, if you _really _want to come and sleep in the tent with us-"

"No way!" he sat down on a rock and folded his arms. "I'm sleepin' here for da night. Far away from ya creepy girls."

Tristen sat down next to his friend. "We sure had a busy day. It was our first day here! I wonder what tomorrow will bring."

"More busyness," said Yugi. "Is that even a word?"

Everybody laughed.

~

Flower Petals: Guess what? "Busyness" is in fact a word!!! (I make up a lot of words, so half the things I say aren't usually found in the dictionary). But busyness was! I'm so happy!

Alright, listen up you reviewers, if you want to see this story continue, you _must _review. I WILL NOT CONTINUE UNLESS I GET MORE REVIEWS! BECAUSE I AM NOT GOING TO WASTE MY TIME CONTINUING SOMETHING EVERYONE HATES.

REVIEW PLEASE!

Taleah: That's soooo much more like it. . .

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	9. Reunions and Revelations Part 1

Flower Petals:Hya everyone! Bad news. . .this looks like the longest chapter ever!!! Please read anyway. It's better then the other chapters, and it has a lot of Kaiba in it. . .And if you're going to read, please pay close attention to the detail, because now that the story is progressing, there are a few key subtle things that you absolutely can't miss! So read every word!

For Maiden of the Moonlight: Thank you so much for reading my fan fiction. It's really hard to get people in, so it's nice to have a new reader! Thanx!

For Nari: You are so sweet! Thank you for reviewing. Hopefully this long chapter won't scare you off. . .it almost scared me off and I'm the one who wrote it!

For Misura: Hey, thank you for reading and reviewing every chapter! It really took me by surprise when I found that I had eight new reviews. But it was a really pleasant surprise. And thank you for paying such close attention to the detail. It really means a lot to me. I wrote this story a long time ago, and looking back, I realize how silly some things are_, _but hopefully it doesn't take too much away from the fic. I hope you'll continue reading!

For Sakurelle: Thank you for reviewing every time I update! It's always soooo nice to see your name first on the review page. Thank you sooo much!

And thank you everyone else! Please don't let this monster of a chapter scare you off!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or a helicopter. . .though if I had to choose, I'd pick a helicopter. . .__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Reunions and Revelations_

  


Yugi found himself enjoying his stay on the island. Quite a few days had gone by, and yet the weather remained the same-beautiful. Every morning he awoke to a bright, cloudless, sky. Every night he went to bed under a gorgeous horizon.

He and his friends were coming along great. Joey had six starchips now, and he had become much more cautious when it came to who he was dueling against. Taleah had five from defeating a girl who had about the same amount of experience as herself. It had been an awesome match-a close one. Taleah had been trailing, but at the last possible moment, she had pulled it off. Yugi had five starchips of his own. His opponent had been a tough one, but nothing he couldn't have handled.

One of the days had just been crazy-everybody had been challenging everyone and anybody to a duel. The dueling stations had all been packed with active duels. People had begun forming lines just so they could all have a turn at dueling. Even Tristen had gotten challenged, but he had run off scared.

The day after that, they saw nobody at all. The dueling stations had been empty. Yugi thought that the most likely explanation to the sudden hush, was Pegasus's announcement that contenders in the tournament still had two whole weeks until the championships. So people, now knowing that they had more time, quieted down. Yugi and his friends hadn't minded-they took it as a relaxing day, kicked back, and took is easy.

But now the time for relaxing was over. They had starchips to win. The championships would begin in less then two weeks. And when they started, no one was allowed admittance into the castle. So really, they only had a few days to each win ten starchips and enter Pegasus's castle. If they didn't, they might never get another chance at helping those they loved.

Through all of this, Yugi remained optimistic. He was absolutely positive that he'd rescue his grandfather, one way or another. _Grandpa means so much to me, _he thought to himself. _Besides, I need him back-I couldn't run the Game Shop alone. He's good with the customers. And Mrs. Glump. He's the only one who can stand her. Although, I do try my best. . ._

The five friends walked along the beach, joking about this and that. Occasionally, they'd stop to admire seashells or to skip a rock along the water's surface. The early morning sun merrily shone down upon the sand, making it glitter. It was another perfect, beautiful day.

"Yeah!" Tristen did a little dance. "That rock skipped four times! Beat that, Joey!"

"Dat's not fair! I've never figured out howda skip rocks. It's always been too complicated." Joey picked up a rather large boulder. "Maybe dis one will do da trick."

Taleah panicked. "Don't throw that! It's huge!"

Yugi looked worried now, too. "He's not stopping!"

"Run!" Tae shouted.

It was too late-Joey threw the boulder out into the water. The sudden action caused a big wave and all of them got utterly and completely soaked.

Joey drained the moisture from his shirt. _"Cool."_

"You're demented," Tristen claimed.

"Hey! You there! You Yugi Muto? Wanna duel?"

Yugi was taken off guard. The person of whom had just spoken was a teenager around his own age. He had a darkish sort of hair and deep, vibrant eyes.

"Yes, I"m Yugi. Sure I'll duel. How many starchips?"

"One," replied the kid. "I only need one more. I'm Kazae. Nice to meet you. I've been looking forward to dueling you. Come on, I've already reserved a dueling arena."

Lights flashed from Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. He felt himself growing and becoming wiser. A presence occupied the back of his mind. He was now, Yu-Gi-Oh. "Lets duel."

A whole arena sprang up from the ground. Dirt flooded down the sides, and small critters scurried quickly to find a new hiding spot. Dueling stations were electronically raised and snapped into place. The holographic simulator poised itself just above the playing field. The arena, was set.

Kazae executed his first attack. "I'll play Ogre of the Black Shadow. It is a mighty beast with an attack strength of twelve hundred."

A creature appeared upon the field. Not much could be seen of it, because it was cloaked in darkness. 

Yu-Gi-Oh slapped a card down on the game board. A tall monster who resembled that of a man, came into being. It wore purple attire, that looked like the kind of clothing one might have worn in the dark ages, and carried a mystical green staff. The creature had a supernatural feeling about it that made it seem very mysterious. "I summon Dark Magician with a destructive power of twenty-five hundred. Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"

The bizarre card stretched out a hand and waved its staff madly in the air. Ogre of the Black Shadow broke away piece by piece until there was nothing left. It had been conquered.

Kazae: 700

Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000

"You are good," Kazae admitted. "I have underestimated you. Your powerful monsters mock my own. I have no monster in my hand that can beat your magician, so I'll play this card face down in defense mode."

Yu-Gi-Oh drew a card from his deck. "I call upon Curse of Dragon in attack mode. Its power is two thousand. Attack, Curse of Dragon!"

A puissant beast rose up from the dueling field and stretched its powerful wings. With a cry of anguish the golden dragon assaulted Kazae's face down card. It was graceful, even in battle, and easily destroyed its opponent.

The Dark Magician and Curse of Dragon both dominated the field for quite some time. They were an awesome fighting team to behold, and would not easily be overcome. Although Curse of Dragon was weaker, two thousand life points was considered pretty high. Most beasts were twenty-five hundred and below. Which of course, excluded any equip magic cards commonly used to raise the attack points of a monster.

Kazae appeared almost giddy. He would constantly shift his weight from leg to leg, and he even began to sweat. It was true that things were not looking good for him, but he seemed to think he was even worse off. He had equipped his deck with mostly strong monster cards, all of which were under two thousand. His lack of magic and trap cards was costing him the duel. For although it was important to have formidable creatures, magic and trap cards were essential to winning a duel. One couldn't accomplish what they wanted to do without them, as Kazae found out the hard way. Not only he was trailing, but he was rapidly running out of monster cards.

"The last thing I can do is play Dark Hole," he said. "It's a magic card that destroys all monsters on the field. Your Dark Magician and Curse of Dragon are no more. Since the field is wiped clean of your creatures, I'll play Uraby the dinosaur in attack mode."

In the right hand corner of Yu-Gi-Oh's dueling station numbers lit up. It showed him that Uraby had an attack strength of fifteen hundred. _Good card, _he thought. _Lets see, I don't have a stronger monster in my hand right now, so I'll have to draw for one. Heart of the Cards, come through for me one more time. . ._

"Ah!" Yu-Gi-Oh smiled. "My faith rewards me with Gaia the Fierce Knight! Your dinosaur may be tough, but it is nowhere near comparison to my beast. Your magic card did not destroy all of my strong monster cards, as you had hoped. For as you see, this one has an attack strength of twenty-three hundred. Your Uraby is no more. You have fought honorably and bravely my friend. But the duel is mine."

Kazae: 0

Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000

The holographic simulator shut off, and all the monsters disappeared.

The presence left Yu-Gi-Oh and he became Yugi again. He took pride in knowing that he had just won one more starchip. Now he had six, and was well on his way to ten. Soon, he would enter the castle, and confront Pegasus.

Kazae looked very depressed. His head hung low and his shoulders were hunched over. "I failed. I lost." He peered down at his dueling glove which still held plenty of starchips. "I don't deserve these." Passionately, he cast them out into the sea. They landed with a splash, and sent ripples out amongst the water's surface.

Joey grabbed Kazae by the shoulders. "Wha did you do dat for?"

"I don't deserve them," Kazae repeated.

"That was a bad thing to do," Tae scolded. "You earned those. You just can't throw them all away!"

"It's no use," Tristen whispered to her. "The guy has completely given up on himself."

Taleah stepped up. "It's not too late. I can go and fetch your starchips for you. But I have the feeling you'll throw them right back."

"You're right," Kazae confessed. "They're the ocean's now."

Joey released him. "I could go an' find dem an' claim dem for myself. Ya know wha's stoppin' me? My honor an' my dignity. Everybody has dose. Yours is still intact too. Ya don't lose yar honor an' dignity because ya lose a duel. Ya may lose yar faith din yourself, but wha's da point in dat? My point is, don't start actin' like da sore loser. Da world has enough already, believe me."

"No point in arguing with him," said a voice from behind them. "He's way too thick headed."

Kemo stepped into view. As usual, he was wearing his sunglasses and a suit. This time though, his features weren't grim and forbidding, but strange and twisted. He was wearing a lopsided grin, like one who was quite satisfied.

"Kemo." Joey didn't look too happy. "Wha' are ya doin' here? Duty calls?"

"I'm here to take all the filth off this island," Kemo explained in his deep, penetrating voice. "To send home the rejects. This kid here just bought himself a one way ticket off this island."

Yugi positioned himself in-between Kazae and Kemo. "What do you mean?"

Kemo chuckled. "I mean that this boy is going home. Guess you weren't listening when Pegasus announced that duelists who have lost all their starchips must leave immediately. Don't worry, I'll be happy to take Kazae off your hands."

Joey got defensive. "Ya creep. Ya're not takin' him anywhere."

Kazae pushed him aside. "No. I don't deserve to be here. I am a failure. I should be sent home."

"What a baby!"

Everybody turned to see who had just spoke.

"Glad to see you too," Mai replied. "Howdy Taleah. Miss me? Didn't think so. What's the hold up Kemo? Take him away."

"Shut up!" Joey snapped. "Don't listen to her."

Mai tossed her hair back. "What's wrong Joeseph? No need to defend _him. _He's just a little cry baby who should go home and see his mamma. He's right. He doesn't deserve to be here. The rules state that those who have no starchips are eliminated from the competition. That includes cry babies you have given up on themselves."

"But Kazae has starchips," Yugi protested. "They're just not with him right now. If you give me a second, I could probably-"

"He's coming with me and that's that." It was not a questionable tone-Kemo meant business. He took Kazae by the arm and led him off. Kazae wasn't even the slightest bit reluctant.

"He was a good duelist," Taleah said with passion. "He does not deserve this! He had eight starchips!"

Mai whistled. She spun her dueling glove all the way around. "Nine starchips. Big deal."

The five friends were in awe.

"How could you have-"

"I am a great duelist," Mai interrupted. "Better then any of you will ever be. You wanna know why? Because I have what it takes. I am ruthless and merciless. You can't win a tournament and be a nice person at the same time. You can't make friends. Everyone is an opponent, an adversary. What happens when further ahead in the tournament you're forced to duel each other? Where's you friendship then?"

Nobody spoke.

Mai continued. "Kindness can only bring you so far before you have to realize that you must get tough. So you can stop that nice guy act, Yugi. You're not out here to make friends. You're out here to beat everybody else and win the competition, are you not? Don't feel sorry for somebody who has already lost. Because believe me, if you ever happen to lose, nobody is going to feel sorry for you."

"Now, I have no doubt that I'll see at least one of you in the championships. Know this, just because I know you, doesn't mean I'll go easy on you. So farewell to you, losers."

"Man, she can really ruin da day," Joey whined.

"Come on, we better get going," Tristen suggested. "We can go to the café, or find more people to duel with. Anything to get away from the scene of the crime."

"That's a good idea," Tae stated. "Lets go."

Yugi was shocked. He hadn't known that losing a duel could have such an effect on a person. How suddenly depressed Kazae had become after the match had been won. He hadn't been like that before. Could losing a battle, really tear a person apart like that? Could it really destroy their confidence? To Yugi, it appeared so. He remembered back when he had lost his first duel to his grandfather and how upset he had been. He had even vowed to never duel again. That feeling of course, had been short lived. _What did Grandpa use to say? Don't count your wins and losses. Judge something by how well you do it. Even if you lose, if you take pride in your accomplishments, you'll win every time. Grandpa. I miss him. So much._

Yugi was miserable. And when one of the friends was feeling bad, they all were. It was that way with them, since they were all so close. One couldn't be miserable without the rest feeling the same.

Along their path was a sign pointing to a trail that wound around a mountain. The sign said that it was a nice trail with fantastic scenery. Since it wasn't far away, Taleah suggested that they go on it, thinking it might cheer everybody up.

"A trail?" Joey asked, critically. "One dat goes up? Up da mountain? _Up?"_

"Sounds good," Yugi commented. "Lets do it."

Without any further discussion, Yugi and his friends headed for the trail. It was a steep climb but not an unpleasant one. The scenery just leading up to the trail was fantastic. At their elevation, they could see most of the island. The marshlands were a murky mist, and rolling hills and lush greenery occupied every turn. The friends met a few people on the way up. Everyone said the same thing; "The trail is beautiful. You should try it."

Joey kicked angrily at the ground. "If one more person says dat we should go on dis trail, well, I'm not goin'! I'm gettin' tired of trail dis, and trail dat. . ."

Tae suddenly froze. "Uh-oh. It's him! It's Bakura! What's he doing here?"

Taleah rushed in the direction that Tae was pointing to, hoping against all odds so see her friend. She stopped. Kury was no where in sight.

"You're seeing things," accused Tristen. "Bakura is not here. He can't be. He's at home waiting for his parents to arrive. Can't be two places at once."

Tae looked hopelessly confused. "I know what I saw. And I saw a very white haired, Bakura looking, teenager standing right by that tree! He was there, I swear! I _know _that I saw him."

Her friends didn't say anything. Instead, they resumed their climb, silently. By the time they reached the trail, everybody was fatigued and tired. The day had taken a lot out of them both emotionally and physically. They were drained of their energy.

"I'm goin' da park my butt here," Joey sat down. "Sorry Ta, but I just don't thin' I have it din me da climb dat trail of yours."

Taleah slumped. "Will anybody go with me?"

Silence.

"Then I'll go by myself. I may be tired too, but there's no way I'm going to sit down and be all gloomy. When I get back, I expect you all to have big smiles on your faces. See you in a little while."

"Bye Taleah."

"Have fun."

"See you."

"Where ya goin'?"

Taleah waved to her friends as she climbed the remaining steps leading to the trail. They were steep, and not all of them were secure, but she made it. At the top, she paused to catch her breath. Nearby, was a railing surrounding a little nook. It overlooked valleys and meadows far below. Dueling stations looked like small silver boxes at her height.

She leaned against the rail and took in a deep breath. The cool, fresh air instantly revived her. But it was not enough to lessen the burden of her conscience. _Oh, what am I doing here? Why have I even made it this far? Do I deserve to be here? Maybe Mai was right. What happens when I have to face Yugi and Joey in a duel? I'm sure I'll eventually have to. But I couldn't win. Not against my friends. Joey is an expert at comebacks. And Yugi is a great duelist and an even better person. He's never lost a duel! How am I supposed to compete with that? I don't want to battle against my friends! Yugi and I both want to confront Pegasus. What if the only way is to duel him? Only one of us would be allowed to. And it probably isn't going to be me._

A voice sounded from somewhere behind her. It was a deep, scratchy voice.

"Taleah."

  


The butler was busy doing another load of dishes. It was a mystery to him that three people could produce so many. And they were filthy! Of course, the Big Five sometimes came over for dinner and to discuss business terms. They were very greedy people that had an appetite to match. Although lately, they had been keeping their distance.

He sighed. Kaiba was still up in his bedroom. If one could call it that-it mainly consisted of computers, desks, and business papers. There was barely any room for a bed! Which was fine with Kaiba, because it seemed that he didn't sleep anyway. He always had something to do, or somebody to yell at. It appeared that he _had _to stay busy for some reason. He acted as if he didn't, something might happen, or he'd be forced to realize something. The butler didn't know what exactly, but he was working on solving it.

He loved puzzles. That was the whole reason he had decided to work there. Kaiba was a real enigma. A real riddle. The butler had always loved a challenge, and it seemed that Mr. Kaiba was his toughest yet. He adored the boy, no matter how defiant and hurtful he could sometimes be.

_Bang. Bang._

The butler was startled. Someone knocking on the door? It was quite late into the night. "Who could be at the door at this hour?" he wondered out loud.

_Maybe it's the evening mail, _he laughed to himself. Taleah was such a silly girl. He liked her. Goodness! She made it impossible for people not to. Even for people as cold hearted as Seto Kaiba.

Drying his hands on his apron, the butler headed over to the door. To his amazement, the door opened by itself and three men in ski masks stepped in. They quickly entered and closed the door behind them, locking it. Then, they approached the butler.

"You get out of my house or I'll call the police!"

"Where is Mokuba Kaiba?" asked one of the men.

His only chance was to keep the intruders busy so Kaiba and his brother had time to escape. "I do not know. The little rascal is everywhere at once. Could be anywhere by now. Can't sit still. Now, I'll tell you again. Get out of my house."

"I'm warning you old man," said another man, "where is-"

"Here I am!" said a bright and cheerful voice.

Mokuba was standing at the top of the stairway holding what seemed like a rope. He wore a bandana around his head, barely covering his glob of messy hair. With a woosh, he took flight, and swung himself across the room, while still holding onto the rope, just like a miniature Indiana Jones. His aim was true-he collided into one of the intruders, taking him down. Quicker then a wink, Mokuba was up and busy stomping on the feet of the tall men.

"Run!" shouted the butler, as he helplessly watched a man sneak up behind Mokuba. "Get to-" He was unable to finish his sentence. For right then, everything went black.

  


_What makes you happy? _There was a problem with that question-a reason why it couldn't be answered. Even after many sleepless nights, no answer ever came. It was so simple a question, yet it haunted him. The truth was, he could never remember ever being truly happy. Sure, he took pride in his accomplishments or when he achieved a hard-earned goal. But was that happiness, or self-satisfaction? What was happiness? Taking pride in abilities? Or was it something more?

Kaiba adjusted the loose screw on his dueling disc system with a screw driver. The damn thing still wasn't working. It appeared incomplete, somehow. Almost as if. . .as if. . .

There was a hammering on his door.

"Open up! We know you're in there."

He could have recognized their voices anywhere. Pegasus's guards. Which could only mean one thing-they were there to exert command. _They must have already have Kiddo. It's too late to go for him now. Pegasus must be trying to take over my company. He only needs one Kaiba to do that. Which means he'll kill me. I would be of little use to him. That blood thirsty, sorry excuse for a man! Can't make a proper deal, so he takes control himself, and eliminates everything and everyone in his way. At least I know he'll keep Mokuba safe. For a little while. . ._

Kaiba hastily jammed the dueling device into his silver briefcase. If he was going anywhere, he was taking it with him. It was too precious to be left behind.

With an angry scream of protest, the door was taken of its hinges. The men were in the room and not looking too happy. One of them pointed a finger at Kaiba.

"Mr. Pegasus would like to have a word with you."

"You'll never take me alive!" He only had one choice left-to run. He couldn't get past those goons. One perhaps, but not three. The only other exit was through the window. But unfortunately for him, it lead to a jagged edge of rocks and then the icy river. It was the only choice he had left. _I refuse to be subjected to Pegasus's wicked motives. I'd rather die._

It one swift action, Kaiba kicked up the computer chair. It flew through the air and struck down the interlopers. It bought him the time he needed to close his briefcase and throw himself out the window.

A wide range of colors and images sped by as he fell. He couldn't think straight. Nothing was focused. He was falling fast although it seemed like forever had gone by since he had first jumped. An eternity ago. And now, the end was near. He could hear the sound of the raging water. _No. . .mustn't give up. Ledge. There's a ledge somewhere. Must find quickly. . .or else. . ._He stretched out a hand in hopes that he might be able to catch onto something. But as he hurtled even faster towards the river, those hopes were diminished. Now he could only focus on one thing-his brother. _Sorry Kiddo._

Just then, his outstretched hand met a solid fixture. He tightened his grip in one fast reaction, and his fall was stopped. But his perils were not all over as he soon found out. For he could barely support his own weight, and despite his best efforts, he found his grip on the narrow ledge, slowly declining. He had no strength left. He couldn't hold on for much longer.

_Must keep going. . .Kiddo. . .somebody. . .has to. . .get him. . .back. . .and that somebody. . .is going to be me._

With a new found burst of strength, he thrust his briefcase onto the ledge and tried to haul himself up. It was hard going-he had nowhere to put his feet, so his elbows were the only thing supporting him. That, and his will to carry on. He managed to throw one leg up on the ledge. _Now if I could just get the rest of my damn self up here. Damn narrow ledge. _On the count of three, Kaiba hauled himself to safety. He rolled over a few times so that he was far away from the edge, found a spot, and laid there for awhile, staring up at the sky. He was torn between shock and a glad feeling that he was still alive. It had been close-but he was still there.

He stayed there for some time, still lying down on his back, thinking about what could have happened. What _would _have happened. _My body would have been carried downstream where it might have washed along the ashore. There, it would have decayed awhile before somebody found it or realized that I was gone. Then, the funeral, with all of my business associates and. . .and. . ._He sat up, causing his neck and upper back to throb in pain. He had come to the sudden conclusion that nobody else would have come to his funeral. _Normally family and friends would attend, but I don't have any family except Kiddo, and he might still be in the hands of Pegasus. I do not know a person that I could call a friend. Hell! You'd probably have to pay my business associates to attend my funeral. Besides my brother_, _who would miss that I wouldn't be there? It's not like everybody likes me. My brother though. . .I should go get him. Who knows what Pegasus will do to him. I must. . .get up. . ._

His first try at standing ended up in a complete failure. The second try left him on his hands and knees in agony. There wasn't a third try for awhile. He knew that it would have been wise to lay some more and recover his strength, but his determination refused to allow him to do even that. So he kept trying repeatedly, until at last, he stood. He was so surprised that he had actually done it, he almost fell back down again. Walking, was another problem. His knees felt shakey, like they were about to give out on him. He had nothing to hold onto, so he spread out his aching arms for balance. _Just one foot at a time. _It was a frighteningly slow process. It took him around forty-five minutes to reach the helicopter pad which had been close by.

He had been very fortunate-the ledge he had secured himself on was part of a narrow walkway that encircled the entire Kaiba mansion. It also led to the helicopter pad which was Kaiba's next destination. Several different helicopters were stationed there. Most hadn't been used in decades. They had been Gozubaru Kaiba's, for that was his favorite kind of transportation. He had loved to cause big scenes, and get a lot of attention. Kaiba spat at the memory of his so called father. His hatred for Gozubaru had increased over the years. For nothing could aid him to forget what the atrocious man had done to him.

The nearest helicopter was Kaiba's. He almost never flew it, because there had never been a need to. But now, with Pegasus's goons about, the helicopter pad, being the only thing that they weren't guarding, seemed like an efficient way to get to Pegasus. It was a small helicopter that had landing gear that looked like skis. It had four main blades, and a long tail with a small rotor at the tip. The front was marked by a large glass bubble surrounding where the pilot would fit. Although small, the helicopter could fit quite a few people.

Kaiba got himself in and collapsed into the pilot seat. He was out of breath and suddenly, dead tired. _I have to get to Pegasus. He just kicked off his Duel Monsters Championship at Duelist Kingdom, so he has to be there, staying at that castle of his. I bet that's where he has my brother. Well, off to Duelist Kingdom, I guess. I just hope that I have enough fuel to get there._

There were three basic controls to pilot a helicopter-a lever, which made the helicopter go up or down; a stick that rested between a pilot's knees and made the helicopter fly backwards or forwards; and two bug rudder pedals that the pilot stepped on to go right or left. Kaiba rested his left hand on the lever and slowly lifted it. The blades whirled above. Air rushed over and under the wings, lifting and holding the aircraft up. Soon it was in the air, and heading in the direction of Duelist Kingdom.

The fight took a long time, for helicopters could not fly very fast or far because they burned fuel too quickly. Kaiba hadn't minded. He needed the delay. He needed to rest. But as long as he was piloting the helicopter, he wasn't going to get any. So instead, he used the time to think of a plan to get his brother back. He couldn't just sneak into the castle. Since he was now on the run, he needed to be careful, even though everybody thought him dead. Now that he had thought about it, he realized that he was in a dilemma. Pegasus believed he was out of the picture, which could in fact, work to Kaiba's advantage, but he had a strong desire to confront Pegasus and put an end to their disagreements. _But all this is only after I free Mokuba._

_ Once Kiddo is out of harms way, I'll unleash my wrath upon the vultures who have conspired to take over my company. As I have expected, the Big Five have turned on me. If Pegasus thought that I would just sit idly by as they dismantle my life's work, he was wrong. I'll see to it that they all regret ever crossing Seto Kaiba._

The island was now in plain sight. At a distance, it seemed like a wild, deserted place with immense mountains and enormously tall trees and plant life. The afternoon sun cast a bright glow around the island, making it shine brilliantly. The whole place looked very inviting and peaceful. But to Kaiba, it was an enemy's evil fortress.

He had recovered well from the fall and had even gotten back some of his lost energy. The thought of a nap sounded wonderfully pleasing. But as long as his brother was held captive, he would do no such ting. _Now to find a spot to land. That mountain looks suitable enough._

Kaiba pushed the lever down and gradually, the helicopter lowered itself until it hovered just above the ground. Then it settled safely on top of the mountain.

Kaiba sat awhile to recover his wits. The whole ride there he had been in a daze. But now, he had to think clearly, especially if he wanted to get his brother back. Somehow, he had to get to the castle. He was at a loss when it came down to where it was. The island seemed much smaller from up in the air. It was actually quite a large place and the castle was somewhere in the midst of it. _I may not know where it is, but I know a good place to begin looking. First though I should get off this mountain. My helicopter will be safe here, for a little while at least._

He stepped out of the helicopter and grabbed his briefcase. His legs felt a little stronger and his back no longer throbbed, but he was dizzy and his head was spinning. _Blasted fall; still not quite over it yet. _He turned his back to the sun. _That's better. Wait, what's that?_

To the north, directly ahead, was a tremendous stone fixture that looked very much like a castle. It had towers and balconies, and many steps leading up to it. There was no question about it-it was most definitely Pegasus's castle. _Off to see the evil wizard, _Kaiba thought to himself.

Walking at a brisk pace, he soon found a trail that cut directly through the woods and down to the very foot of the mountain. It was a rough path with protruding tree roots and fallen twigs and branches everywhere. Kaiba took much care in trying not to step on them all, but there were just too many. When he finally reached the bottom of the trail, he sat down and leaned up against a large oak tree. That was when he saw them.

Yugi, Tristen, Tae, and Joey were parked nearby at the foot of another trail. Kaiba peered all around, but he couldn't find Taleah. She was supposed to be in the tournament. Wouldn't she be hanging around her friends? Where the hell was she? He waited a moment, listening closely, trying to hear any conversation that they might have been discussing. Nothing. Kaiba angrily slammed his fists upon the ground, regretting it an instant later. _She must be up on that trail, _he decided. _After all this, it sure would be nice to see a friendly face. Her face. _With a groan, he stood up and ascended the one trail in search of her.

He found her leaning up against a rail that wound around a small nook. She had her arms folded and her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful, that he almost didn't want to disturb her. Almost.

"Taleah."

She whipped around, her long, beautiful, brown hair twining about her shoulders. She looked both surprised and happy so see him. "Kaiba. What are you doing here? Where's Mo?"

Kaiba flinched when she mentioned his brother's name. He couldn't help but look unhappy; distressed. "I, um. . .see that you already have five starchips." It was a pitiful attempt at conversation, and he knew it. Taleah caught on fast.

"What's wrong?"

Kaiba cleared his throat. "Mokuba was kidnaped by a few of Pegasus's men. The same people who tried to kill me. I assume that my brother is being held in the castle on this island. That is why I am here."

"Why would Pegasus want to kidnap Mo?" Taleah's face looked sick with worry. It was a lot to take in.

This was easier for him to speak of. He spoke with bitterness and anger in his voice. "Because for the longest time, he has been conspiring with my business associates to take over my company. He knows all about the corporation's by-laws that require a living Kaiba heir to make any change of control legal. Mokuba is his prisoner, and with me out of the way, it is likely that Pegasus will exert all kinds of pressure to make my brother do what he wants. One way or another. By capturing Mokuba, I now have the incontrovertible evidence, that Pegasus will do whatever is in his power to take control over my company."

"What do you mean, 'now that you're out of the way'?"

"I. . .they think that I am dead." Seeing her confused expression, he added, "Don't ask."

Taleah put a hand on her forehead. "I can't believe all of this has happened. Poor Mo. Well, if he is in the castle, that should be no problem for you. Being as good as you are at Duel Monsters, you'll get ten starchips in no time."

"I don't need _starchips," _Kaiba snapped. "That would be way too easy. Besides, I want to confront Pegasus. I am not here to collect pathetic, meaningless, tokens so I can win some silly prize. I'm here to rescue my brother." He immediately regretted saying everything he had just said. He hadn't meant to insult her. But it seemed unintentionally, he had.

She looked hurt. "Just do whatever you have to, to get Mo back."

"I plan on doing just that."

Taleah nodded and walked back down the trail. As he watched her leave, Kaiba wished he could have taken back all of what he had said. He didn't like seeing her that way. It made him depressed. But the past couldn't be undone. All Kaiba could do, was continue on his venture. _Next stop, Pegasus's castle._

  


He could see now, and objects were coming in much more clearer then before. He could make out distinct shapes. He was still in front of the open door. Still in his apron. Hands still wet from washing dishes. Still . .still. . .still groggy. Couldn't quite remember. . .It hit him.

The butler staggered to his feet. It took awhile before he found his voice. "Mokuba! Mr. Kaiba! Oh dear, where could they be?" He stumbled throughout the entire mansion in search of them. But they were nowhere. Kaiba wasn't even in his study or the library. Thinking of the possibility that Kaiba could just simply be in his room, the butler managed to drag himself up the winding staircases and into Kaiba's bedroom. It was there when he saw the first visible signs of struggle. He gulped as he stared at the shattered window. There was no doubt in the butler's mind; someone had pushed the young boy, or he had jumped himself.

Either way, he was gone. He and Mokuba.

"Oh my! Oh dear, oh dear!"

~

Flower Petals: Did anyone get through that? I need to know! Anyway, I have a request. For those who are going to review, could you please give me some feedback? I need to know what you like about this story, (if you like anything. . .) and what could go if anything needs to go, and what you'd like to see more of and so on. . .

Please review! I'd like five before I update!


	10. Reunions and Revelations Part 2

Flower Petals: Sorry about the late update. Being so close to Christmas, I've been very busy so sorry about the wait! Well, if anybody _was_ waiting. . .

Anyhoo, hya peoples! This is the second half of one of the longest chapters. Read, and hopefully enjoy! As it is a long chapter, I don't have room to chat, but I will answer some questions. 

For Nari: Kaiba does, in fact, team up with the gang later on!!! And it is a disaster. But something happens, and two people get separated, and then they find each other, only to have one of their group turn on them in the ultimate betrayal. Answer your question??? As for your other one, I will follow Duelist Kingdom for the most part. Remember, I wrote this before the second season ever began, so I didn't watch the finals until after this was completed. The duels are original, for the most part, with more original characters, an original plot, and an original, surprising twist! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! And thank you soooo much for putting me on your favorite list and for reviewing my story!

For Sakurelle: I'm so sorry your hand was numb when you were finished reading my last chapter. My fingers fell numb a lot while I was writing it. I'm surprised they haven't all just fallen off yet! Anyway, thank you for your reviews, and your story rocks!!! ^_^__

For Misura: Thank you so much for your unwavering support on all my stories. There are no words that exist that can tell you how grateful I am. And if there were, then this chapter would be even longer then all the previous combined! So thank you.

For Maiden of the Moonlight: I'm going to take your advice about the "making some sort of sign to let readers know about scene changes". I would have had that in this chapter, but unfortunately, the scene never changed! So thanx for the awesome wisdom. And thank you for reviewing.

For TAB: Thank you Taleah! Hope you think I did your character justice. . .__

Sorry if I forgot anybody!

WARNING: I had to make a slight change to Bakura's character, because of things I had already implied in the first chapter. Taleah's favorite card is the Change of Heart, so I had to substitute, Bakura's favorite as Dark Hole. Hope you all don't mind!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters from that show. But Taleah is mine. All mine!!! (evil laughter)__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Reunions and Revelations Part 2_

  


Taleah didn't know how to feel. She was upset and disappointed, and angry at Kaiba for being so blunt. She could not believe that Mo had been kidnaped. He was such a sweet little boy. He did not deserve what was happening to him. Taleah's heart ached when she pictured him being locked away in a prison of some sort, all dirty and sitting with his head hung down. She quickly erased that image from her head. _Must think positive, _she reminded herself. 

Her friends were waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. They all looked like they felt a little better. The brief respite seemed to have revived them. They greeted Taleah with hugs, and big smiles on their faces, just like she had requested.

"I'm goin' da look for some people da duel against," Joey announced. "Look out all ya weak duelists! Here I come!" He skipped off onto the path, whistling to himself.

"There's something wrong with him," Tae said. "I just can't put a finger on it."

Tristen shrugged. "He takes after me, what can I say?"

"Two peas in a pod," Yugi agreed. "Really though, we should head after him before he gets himself into any more trouble. Taleah, you should have been here earlier when he mistook a sleeping woman for a log and laid on her. It was quite the sight."

"I can imagine."

For the rest of the day, they sought out people to battle against. They didn't find anybody-it appeared that all the other duelists were on the other side of the island where it was more urban. Which was frustrating for Taleah and company, because they were still determined to win ten starchips each. And they weren't coming along any further by not being able to find anybody to compete against.

The sky had begun darkening. The sun had already set and clouds began to combine together in an effort to cover up the whole sky. They were dark, eerie, foreboding looking clouds. The long cycle of beautiful weather had come to an end.

The friends decided to call it quits and found a suitable forest to camp in. They set up the tent in a small clearing and started a fire. Yugi went to get some more firewood, Tristen and Tae got fresh water from a spring nearby, Taleah sat on a log feeling miserable, and Joey started heating up their dinner. When they were all finished with their separate chores, they sat around the camp fire and ate.

"This is delicious, Joey," Yugi told his friend.

Joey turned red. "It dis kind of good, ain't it?"

Tae looked up from her bowl. "What exactly is it? I mean, I know that it came from the café, but it tastes different. There's just so many flavors going on, it's hard to make out all the ingredients."

"A secret recipe," Joey answered mysteriously. "It has been din my family for many generations. My uncle taught me."

Tristen almost spat out his food. "You mean the same uncle that's also a spy?"

"No. Dat's my father's brother. All da good cooks come from my mother's side."

"So you take after your mother, then?" Taleah asked.

Tae, Tristen, and Yugi burst out laughing. Joey didn't find it so funny-he set down his bowl, crossed his arms, and glared at Taleah. He was such a silly sight to behold, that Taleah found herself laughing too. It felt good-she had had such a dreadful, sorrowful day. Laughing was good medicine and she instantly felt better. That was, until Tae suddenly jumped up claiming to have heard a noise from behind her. 

Joey and Yugi were on the scene in an instant. They ran out in front of her and challenged whoever it was to come out. Tristen was a little less brave, and hid behind Taleah. All five waited for their future guest. But none were prepared to see their friend, Bakura, step out of the bushes.

He wore blue jeans and a white sweater which strangely seemed to have a bit of a bulge near the stomach area. His extremely light colored hair was slightly unruly and a few twigs stuck out here and there as if he had been rummaging through shrubs and brush for a long time.

Taleah was so happy to see him, that she walked right up to him and gave him a long hug. In return, he wrapped his arms around her and patted her gently on the back.

"Nice to see you too, Taleah."

"What are you doing here, Bakura?" Yugi asked. "I thought you were waiting for your parents to get back." Then he noticed something that disturbed him. "Hey, how did you get here? You're not wearing a dueling glove."

Bakura's eyes grew dark. "Oh, I have my ways." He went on to explain that his parents had been delayed even longer then expected. So he had decided to come and visit his friends rather then remain lonely, staying home. Nobody questioned him any further as to how he had gotten to the island.

"Told you I saw him," Tae said, beaming proudly.

Joey put up a hand. "Tae, ya see a lot dof things."

"Oh, you're dead."

"Make me."

Tristen cocked his head. "What kind of comeback is that? That was lame."

"Yeah," Tae agreed. "I already said that you were dead. So I can't make you anymore dead. There's no such word as 'deader'. You should go back to school."

"Make me."

Tae playfully threw her bowl at Joey. It hit him square in the head and bounced to the ground with an angry clatter. Joey retaliated by throwing a large portion of his dinner at her. She caught it with her hands, and pitched it back at him. Soon, it was an all out food war. Bowls and food were hurtled everywhere. Nothing was sacred. By the time they ran out of things to throw, they were all messy and covered with various foods.

"You see buddy," Tristen told Joey, "we just loved your food so much, that we felt the need to hurtle it at other people."

Bakura brushed a mound of vegetables off from the top of his head. "Where did you get all this food anyway?"

"It's all leftovers from a café that we go to almost every day," Yugi explained. "Knowing Joey and his stomach, we wouldn't dare go anywhere without something to snack on."

"Ah, I see."

They spoke for many minutes about various things. Bakura filled them in on what had been going on back at Domino Town. Yugi, Taleah, and Joey enthusiastically gave him details on all their battles. And Tae and Tristen expressed their shock that they had gone unnoticed for so long. Nobody had even realized that they weren't wearing dueling gloves.

"Yeah," continued Tristen, "it's been pretty easy. It's like we're invisible." He looked over at Joey. "Hey there pal, you've been staring at that Duel Monster card for hours. Favorite or something?"

"Yeah. It may not be da strongest card I have anymore, but dit's still pretty cool. Da Flame Swordsman kicks everybody's butt."

"Not mine," Tae disagreed. "My favorite card is the Magician of Faith. You'd have a tough time beating her."

"What's your favorite card, Tristen?" Yugi asked.

"The Cyber Commander." Tristen brought it out. "I like this one the best. What about you Taleah?"

Taleah dug out her dueling deck from her pants pocket. She leaved through it for awhile before she found it. The Change of Heart card. _Oh, just looking at it makes me mad. Kaiba makes me mad. Anything of his, makes me mad. _"I don't have a favorite."

Bakura turned to Yugi. "And you, Yugi?"

"Dark Magician, hands down."

"You guys," Tae started, "don't you think it's kind of weird having a favorite? I mean, there's so many. Don't you think it's a little strange?"

"Maybe a little," Yugi confessed. "But it's like Grandpa says, it's not about the playing cards. It's about putting a little bit of your heart into something you care about, you know?"

Taleah bowed her head. Yugi was right. He was always so logical, he could make sense out of anything. So what if Kaiba had given her, her favorite card? It was still her favorite no matter what she thought of him. "I changed my mind. Change of Heart. I like that card."

Bakura brought out his dueling deck. "My turn I guess. I like this one above all others. It is a magic card called Dark Hole. It contains the magical properties of turning the tables on any duel. The Dark Hole has brought me out of many tough spots. Now, I'd like to share a little something with you all. Especially you, Yugi. And you Taleah."

"What's that?"

Bakura closed his eyes and brought his hands up to his stomach. His fingers were outstretched and spread far apart. Then, he began to hum a dark tune that would make one instantly shutter with fear and uncertainty. It made the hairs rise on the back of everybody's neck. Even after he had stopped humming, the music haunted their ears.

All of a sudden, an object appeared in the space between Bakura's hands. An object that pulsated with power and magic. It was shaped like an enormous ring with small golden arrows, positioned at every mark on the compass, and a dazzling centerpiece carved in the shape of an eye. There was no doubt in anyone's mind-it was a Millennium Item.

Tae, Tristen, and Joey fell over as if they had fainted. They faces grew cold and all color was sucked away from them. They were like empty shells with hollow interiors. For some reason, Yugi and Taleah were fine.

Light blared from Yugi's Millennium Item. It surrounded him, confining him to its brilliance. A familiar presence wound up inside of him as he quickly transformed into Yu-Gi-Oh. "Our Millennium Items have protected us, Taleah. Unfortunately, our friends have no such thing."

Taleah trembled with fear and anger. "Where are they?"

Bakura didn't look like himself. His features had grown dark and wicked. He looked evil. "I shall show you." Three cards magically appeared in his hands. "I have trapped your friends' souls within their favorite cards. As you see, Millennium Items' magic can be deadly."

He flashed the cards at Taleah and Yugi. They gasped. The cards each showed a picture of a different friend. Joey had become the Flame Swordsman. He wore the outfit and appeared just like the card originally had. The middle card of the three was the Tristen Commander, in place of the Cyber Commander. Tae's was the last card. She was the Magician of Faith.

"Bakura, what have you done?" Yu-Gi-Oh cried.

Kury, or the thing that had once been Kury laughed. "Bakura! Bakura is no longer here."

Taleah was taken back. "If you're not Bakura, then who are you?"

"I am a thief and a stealer of souls. I have done many terrible things in my quest to posses the Millennium Items. You do know the legends don't you? Whoever so wields all seven Millennium Items will receive power unimaginable. And by the time I'm done with you, your Millennium Puzzle and your Bracelet, will be mine."

Yu-Gi-Oh took a step back. He gripped his Puzzle protectively. "That's not going to happen whoever you are."

The imposter snorted. "I expected as much."

"Kury, it's us. It's me, Taleah. I don't care who you have become. You were my friend. And you still are." Taleah clenched her fists. "Fight it, Kury, whatever it is. Fight what's controlling you. Fight it."

"You simple minded fool. I have explained already. And I will once more, but not again. Bakura is no longer here. He is gone. I am in control now."

"You are not!" Taleah protested. "Kury is still somewhere in there. He can fight you. I know he can! You will not get whatever it is that you want. What you're doing is wrong. Now, free my friends and return to wherever you came from."

A vicious chuckle cut through the air. "You've got spunk. I admire that. But now is not the time for such things. Now, hand over your Millennium Items or else I shall see to it that your friends stay trapped forever. You do not want that, do you?"

"Let us have a duel," Yu-Gi-Oh offered. "If I win, I get my friends back. If I lose, you can have your precious Items."

"I do not think so. Do not take me for a fool. I know of your prodigious talents, Yugi. I am wiser, and older then you can ever imagine. Now, hand over those Items, or you'll lose what you hold dearest."

"I still do not believe you," Yu-Gi-Oh persisted. "Those cards are precious bargaining tokens. You would not destroy them."

A mischievous and evil smile swept over the fraud's face. "You really think so? Then watch this." It only took a second for him to rip Tristen's card in half. The two pieces fluttered slowly to the ground, empty. "Do you believe me now?"

Taleah sank to her knees. She felt numb all over. Her vision began to fade and then became blurry with oncoming tears. "Tristen. . .he's gone. . ."

"Yes, and it's all because of _him." _The imposter pointed a finger at Yu-Gi-Oh. "Now, will you hand over your Items, or risk losing another friend?"

Taleah couldn't talk. She felt herself incapable of speech. The only thing that escaped her mouth were sobs. _He's gone, _she kept repeating to herself. _He's gone. _

"No answer? No angry protests? This surprises me. Better remind you of the consequences. . ." He held up Tae's card now, and positioned it just right between his fingers. 

Yu-Gi-Oh had had enough. He pounced on the fraud and tried prying Tae's soul card out of his grasp. He had caught his foe unawares, and for a while, it appeared that Yu-Gi-Oh had the upper hand. But his enemy was quick, and reacted fast. They rolled over many times in a rough struggle. Yu-Gi-Oh was at a disadvantage being short, but he made up for it with nimbleness and alacrity.

The sudden movement caused Taleah to snap out of her daze. She momentarily forgot her sorrow and concentrated on finding a way to help Yu-Gi-Oh. She didn't dare lose any more friends. _Think Taleah, _she begged herself. _How can I aid him? There must be some way. Lets see, Bakura used the power of his Millennium Item to convert my friends into cards. He used the power of his Item. The power. The magic. Did he not say that the magic from Millennium Items can be dangerous? Can it also be used for good? Does every Millennium Item have a different power? It's worth a shot._

"Yugi, use the magic of your Puzzle! It may be our only chance!"

Yu-Gi-Oh responded immediately and stepped away from the imposter. He closed his eyes and held on tightly to his Millennium Puzzle. If he felt any doubt towards what he was doing, he did not express it. In fact, it seemed that he had absolute faith in his puzzle and the magic that it was supposed to contain.

The evil spirit that had taken over Bakura screamed. He clawed at the air as if fighting some invisible enemy. He went frantic and desperately tried to get away from whatever was opposing him.

"You can not do this!" he cried. "I have waited far too long. So many centuries. I can not allow you to do this!" For a scary, brief moment, he regained partial control. Tae's card was poised and ready to be ripped into pieces.

"No!" Yu-Gi-Oh shouted. Only, it wasn't just him-Yugi cried out too. The power of them both, made the spoken sound more then any word or demand. Much more. For it was infused with magic and deep passion. Their strength, bound the souls stealer to their will. "Return evil spirit from whence you came."

The imposter had no choice but to obey. A cold, darkness seeped through the object he wore around his neck and encircled him like a black veil. It pulled him away and back into the Item he had been kept prisoner in for so long.

Kury returned to his own body. He opened his sweet brown eyes and blinked a few times. As his gaze swept over the scene, his expression became worried and twisted with pain. "What have I done?"

Yu-Gi-Oh stalked over to him and picked up an item that had appeared on the ground. It was a Duel Monster card. The Dark Hole. Only this card did not show the picture of a lonely eye peering out into an infinity of nothingness. It bore a portrait of the evil Bakura. For it held the soul stealer in the eye's place. Yu-Gi-Oh ripped it. When he was done, he ripped it again. In the end, there were too many pieces to be accounted for. Not tape nor glue nor bandages would ever bring back that card.

Tears continued to flow from Taleah's yes. She was filled with a deep sadness. One, that she knew would stay with her for a long time. Her heart felt broken, shattered. There was a pain in her chest that throbbed with grief and agony. _Tristen is gone. I'll never see him again. He'll never get to smile, laugh, play, have fun, or even cry ever. Ever again . We'll never get to go see another movie or laugh together after listening to a funny joke. He won't get another chance to see his parents. He's gone. . ._

Kury put his head in his hands. "I'm so sorry. So sorry. What have I done?"

Yu-Gi-Oh put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "It was not your fault. One of the spirits from your Millennium Item took over you. My guess, is that when the people's souls were taken to be put in the Items, not all were willing. Some people may have been forced or even tricked into giving up their souls. And now, they're thirsty for revenge. I am not sure, but that is my theory." He averted his gaze to Taleah. "I am sorry. Our hearts will ache in sadness for quite some time over this sudden loss. But. . .wait. . .maybe it's not too late. Bakura's Millennium Item gives him the power to take souls away. Mine, enables me to restore and aid them. Do you know what yours does?"

Taleah shook her head. The truth was, she had no idea. True, it comforted her in times of distress, but was that all? It was reliable and dependable. It had always come through for her. _So maybe it will again._

For the first time, she took off her Bracelet. Surprisingly, it came off easily. Her wrist felt bare, defenseless, and naked without it. She felt as if she needed it, and once almost put it back on. But she would not succumb to her desire. A life was counting on it. She pressed her bracelet tightly against her chest, clearing her mind and channeling her thoughts. 

All she wanted right then was to bring her friends back. Her friends meant the world to her. Without them, she would have no place. Her life would be empty and devoid of happiness. If they weren't there, she would have no one to share her life with. _My friends are my life. They are my everything._

She felt Tae and Joey return. She felt them regain consciousness and she felt their astonishment as they pieced together what had happened. She was glad they were back, but they were not who she was most worried about.

Taleah concentrated hard on Tristen, her Millennium Item warm against her skin. She thought about him, and how although he lacked courage, he was a loving and devoted friend. One who could always be trusted and counted on. It was a fact that he would never stand up to anyone, or fight for a noble cause. But that didn't make him any less of a person. Sure, he wasn't brave or courageous, but was kind and soft spoken. He was fiercely loyal to his friends and expressed his great love for them through thoughtful acts of kindness. _I remember the time when he had come over to my house to visit me and found me on the ground in my bedroom, weeping. It had been a long day for me, and I was frustrated and angry. He stayed with me. Cracked a few jokes, cheered me up. Wouldn't leave until I had stopped crying. That's devotion. There was another time when everything that had gone on that day had turned out to be a complete disaster. Tristen had bought me flowers and a big balloon that had busted two seconds later. That's thoughtful. He has always been there to support me. That's loving. _With her last remaining strength, she willed him back.

Color returned to Tristen's body. His chest began to rise and fall in a steady pattern. A few minutes later, he opened his eyes. Tristen was back.

"Tristen!" Joey and Tae shouted. They rushed over to their friend and pounded him with questions.

Taleah didn't know what had happened. One minute he was gone, the next ,he had returned. Was it somehow her doing? Had her Millennium Bracelet helped her? She gazed down at It. It appeared so normal looking for something that was supposed to hold immense power. Suddenly, her wrist felt cold so she slipped her bracelet back on. It immediately warmed her up.

The presence dissipated back into Yugi's Puzzle. "You keep those you love safe," he explained to Taleah.

Kury was still apologizing. "I'm so sorry. I never intended for any of this to happen. Tristen, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Don't blame yourself."

"How did you get your Millennium Item?"

"My father picked it up on one of his trips." Bakura looked down at it. "He was shopping amongst many merchants when the Millennium Ring caught his eye. The guy who sold it to him said that it had something to do with Duel Monsters. Which never made any sense to me because the card game is new and the Ring, clearly ancient. When my father returned, he gave it to me. He said he felt I was destined to have it. Although, now I wish that he had never given it to me."

"Don't say that," Taleah warned. "I believe in destiny. In fate. What happens is meant to happen. There is nos such thing as chance or coincidence. You were _meant _to have it. Just as I was _meant _to have mine, and Yugi, his. Maybe It still has some role to play in the future for good or bad."

"That's interesting," Tae admitted. "Isn't that one of the dialogues from Love Ties?"

"Er. Yes, I miss watching it every morning."

"What are we going to do with this circumstance?" Joey asked. Everybody looked at him. "Bakura, he has to stay here doesn't he? I mean, you'll get in trouble if you're found. And your parents aren't back yet."

"I would not want to intrude on your vacation," Bakura stated. "Besides, after what just happened, you probably won't be wanting me around."

"Nonsense," Tristen said. "Stay with us. You don't have anywhere else to go. And, it will be nice to have you back, bud. Although, I can't help wondering if that evil spirit is really gone. Could it come back?"

Yugi shrugged. "I don't know. There's still a lot that I don't know about Millennium Items. Lets just pray that it doesn't."

"Yeah," everybody said at once. They laughed. Then, without another word, they put out the fire and prepared for bed. It was late, and it had been a long day.

~

Flower Petals: Sorry, I know it wasn't the best written chapter. In fact, it was probably the worst. . .They get better! Well, at least, I think. . .I have so much to say, so here it goes, and PLEASE READ PEOPLES!!!

1. Thank you for reading!

2. Please review. Seven reviews would be nice before I update again. Since seven is my lucky number.

3. If you would like me to spell "Tea"'s name correctly, let me know via email or review! (Preferably in a review, because I'm review hungry). If you want Tae's name to stay Tae, let me know! And if you don't care, you don't have to let me know!

4. My next chapter is 30 pages!!! So, if you want, I can divide it in half, or as closely to half as I can. Or, thirds. Or, I can keep it 30 pages. He, he, he. . .yeah right. . .

5. Please check out my other story, Random Things You'll Never Hear. I set this impossible goal for myself of getting 50 reviews, and goshgolly, I'm going to do it! So I need all the help I can get!

Uh, think that's all. Thanks and please read and follow all the above!


	11. Rhymes and Reasons

Flower Petals: Well, hya there everyone! Hope ya all had a wonderful Christmas!!! 

I tallied the votes, and have come to the unanimous decision, to keep the chapter 30 pages!!! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Just kidding!!! ^_^

Taleah: Sorry people, she ate waaaaay too much pie and now she's going to be hyper forever.

Flower Petals: Hey, you're here!

Taleah: Yeah, so what?

Flower Petals: So you've been silent for awhile.

Taleah: So what?

Flower Petals: So I've enjoyed the silence.

Taleah: Arggggggggggggggg!

Flower Petals: Well anygohoobles, I really divided the chapter into three parts. They're not all equal, since of course, I just couldn't stop in the middle of a sentence, so this chapter is actually longer then the other two. And I've also changed "Tae"'s name to the rightful, "Tea," so you don't have to be confused any more!!!

I don't have room to chat regretfully, so I just want to say THANK YOU to the following list of reviewers, who are in NO particular order, and just know that I LOVE YA ALL, AND APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!!! :

Lady Silvertongue Nari Psychotic Kitten Maiden of the Moonlight Misura Sakurelle TAB KrystalShadow Mamono Peace Writer 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything pertaining to it. But I do own Taleah. . .

Taleah: You just love saying that don't you?

Flower Petals: *giggles* yes!__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Rhymes and Reasons Part 1_

  


A towel drenched with sweat was placed upon a table next to a crystal glass occupied by a red liquid and a highly decorative plate that bore cheesecake of the richest flavors.

"Are you okay, sir? Did you have another. . .vision?"

"Yes. Bring her to me."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taleah awoke with a start. Beads of perspiration made thin lines down her forehead and trailed down her face. She put a hand over her heart. _What a horrible dream! It was so real. . .too real. . ._ She jumped to her feet.

The early morning sun cast its glow upon the large island. Wispy clouds that looked very much like cotton candy were scattered here and there across the sky. The weather was warm, moderately hot. All in all, it was a beautiful day. Much the opposite of the previous night.

Her friends were still asleep. Joey was snoring lazily in a corner with a big smile on his face. Bakura and Yugi were sleeping under a large oak tree; Bakura curled up laying on his side, and Yugi lying on his back. Tristen was laying face down in the dewy grass, drool escaping his open mouth. Tea was in the tent, with her feet hanging out. It was early morning still, and they were enjoying their rest.

"Wake up!" Taleah shouted. "Get up! Get up! Wakey, wakey!"

"Go back to bed," Tristen whined.

Taleah was getting frustrated. "Get up _now. _It's an emergency!"

At the word "emergency" all her friends snapped awake and sprang to their feet. They surrounded Taleah and asked her what was so urgent.

"We have to find Mai."

Joey blew air out of his mouth. "Why did ya have da wake us up for dat? If ya really want da go shoppin' wit' yar girlfriend, den go ahead."

"No!" Taleah stamped her foot. "That's not it! Mai wanted my bracelet. She must know about It. We are not safe if she's after the Millennium Items too."

"That's probably true," Yugi thought out loud. "Well, I guess we better play it safe. Lets go find her."

"What about breakfast?" Kury asked. "I mean, I know this is highly important and all but. . ."

Yugi's stomach made a grotesque sound. "Okay, I guess we'll find her after breakfast then."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After their early morning meal, the six friends packed up camp and headed out to find Mai. At first, their spirits were high. But as their search continued, they realized just how big the island was, and their hopes of reaching her, quickly faded. The island was huge, and occupied by many dozens of duelists. The friends didn't even know what part of it she was on. They had pretty much stayed in the same general area over the last many days. Who knew how far or where Mai had traveled.

"Maybe she lost all her starchips and was kicked off the island," Taleah said, hopefully.

Yugi was skeptical. "Mai? I don't think so. She's a pretty good duelist. The last time we saw her, she had six starchips. I could only guess at how many she has now."

Taleah and Yugi were walking along a path that cut through a few vast valleys. The land was magnificently beautiful and lush with greenery and flowers. It was like something one might see in a post card. Only this was real. Almost too perfect to be real.

The group had split up a few hours before. They had figured that the more places they visited, the better a chance they had at finding Mai. Tea and Bakura had gone to search in the deserts, while Joey and Tristen checked out the marshlands and woods. They were all supposed to meet back up with each other in the valleys where Taleah and Yugi had been looking. Nobody came back with good results.

"She could be up in the mountains," Kury suggested. "No one has looked up there yet."

"And no one wants to," countered Tristen.

Right then, a very unhappy looking Kemo strutted by, carrying a computer. His fists were clenched, his mouth grim. When he saw them, he stopped and a quirky smile appeared on his face. He adjusted his sunglasses. "It's been awhile, Joe. I'm surprised you're still here."

Joey grimaced. "Hey der Shades. Long time, don't wanna see."

Yugi elbowed him gently in the stomach. "Don't mind him. Say though, is there something wrong? You look distressed. Could we be of any help?"

"Not if you haven't seen Seto Kaiba."

"Seto Kaiba?" Tea wondered out loud. "What's he doing here?"

"He's in big trouble, Miss. Big. He's on the run. Gotten himself into a deeper hole then he can get out of, he has. Loose on the island somewhere. So if you happen to see him, contact authorities immediately. Dangerous man, that one."

Taleah didn't say anything.

Yugi got a sudden idea. "Kemo, may I ask you a favor? Could we borrow your laptop? It will only take us a minute. We need to know the location of a certain duelist. Her name is Mai, do you know her?"

Kemo flashed them a mischievous grin. "Yeah, I know her. Don't know where she is, though. I guess it wouldn't be right to refuse you the use of my computer. After all, you did _me _a favor by beating that Kazae in a duel. Pegasus had been trying for a long time to get rid of him. He left the job up to me. Thankfully, you guys showed up, or I would have been in a dilemma. Anyway, enough talk. Take the lap and do whatever you want with it."

"Thanks!"

"Who knows how to use a computer?" Tea asked. "I sure don't. All the buttons and symbols, it's scary!"

"I can type wit' two fingers," Joey offered.

Tristen beamed. "I know how to turn one on. Although, I have problems turning them off. . ."

_"I _know how to use a computer," Bakura put in. "I used to send my parents emails all the time whenever they were out on their grand adventures. It's pretty simple, really."

The computer was thrust into Kury's hands. He set it on the ground, set the screen in place, and started typing away. His fingers moved so fast over the keys, that it was hard to keep track of them. His gaze never left the screen. He was completely focused, concentrating hard. When at last, he had gotten the information he wanted, he turned off the computer, folded it, and handed it back to Kemo.

"Well?"

"I was able to download every duelists' database," Kury replied. "It only contains information on active duels. Lucky for us, she's dueling nearby. Follow me."

"Thanks Kemo!"

"Bye!"

"Have a nice day!"

"See ya around!"

"Cool laptop!"

"Good riddance!"

It only took them minutes to reach her. She had been close the whole time. They met up with her at the dueling station she had just completed on and won. She was laughing and taunting the loser of the duel.

"Sorry honey, but you've been outsmarted." Mai threw her head back and laughed. "And now I have two more starchips. Thirteen, to be exact. Thanks, hon."

"Hello Mai." Taleah marched right up to the snotty duelist. "Just what did you want with my bracelet? What do you know about it?"

Mai was baffled. "Calm down girl. What did you say? Something about your bracelet? And me wanting It? Well, of course I want it you fool!" She paused as Taleah gasped. "It's a Millennium Item, is it not? I've always wanted one."

"Well, you're not going to have mine," Taleah claimed. "I don't care _if _you take my soul!"

"Once again, calm down Taleah," Mai begged.

Joey pulled Taleah away. "Wha' do ya know about da Millennium Items?"

"Only the rhyme, Joeseph," Mai answered. "Only the rhyme. It goes something like this:

_"Seven in all that held their very souls_,

_In Items that looked like any other ring,_

_ puzzle, jewelry, or bowl._

_ "It was said whoever owned all of Them_

_ would acquire great powers._

_ Power to heal, take away and give, protect,_

_ see, find, and take back hours._

_ "All were stolen and taken far away. Never_

_ to be near each other, not even to this day._

_ "Three were spread apart over earth, water,_

_ and wind. Four came to be close together in _

_ the very end._

_ "Over the decades, many quests for them_

_ have begun. So far all have ended, their last_

_ song sung."_

  


"I wonder who has the other Millennium Items," Yugi marveled.

Mai flung her hair out of her face. "I sure don't. Well, this was an unexpected visit. I better be going. Off to the castle. Catch you all later." She winked and left.

"I'm goin' da go back da sleep," vowed Joey.

Tristen grabbed his friend by the shirt collar. "Oh, no you don't. You're staying with us and helping us out with solving this riddle."

"Er."

"Well, based on the rhyme, one of the Millennium Items is clearly a bowl," Kury proclaimed. "And if it is a bowl, it would have to be an old bowl. Ancient."

"What are you getting at, Kury?" Tea asked. "What's your point?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'm just trying to figure all this out."

Joey yawned. "Ya can go antique shopping later. Lets all go back da bed."

"That's it!"

"Huh?"

"An antique shop! That would be the best place to look for it. The problem is, locating them all. There must be so many. . ."

"Too bad we don't have a telephone book," Tea sighed.

"No, but we have something better," Bakura stated. "We have the awesome power of the internet."

"Oh."

"How are we going to find Kemo?"

"That could be a problem."

"Could be anywhere."

"We'll never be able to find him."

As if on cue, they heard someone yell, "No! It's not fair!"

"Lets head in that direction," Taleah suggested.

It didn't take them long to find Kemo. He was trying to take away another kid who had obviously lost his starchips. The kid was putting up a rough fight, and was struggling hard. But Kemo knew how to handle him. It was his job, after all, and he set to it with a grim efficiency. 

Joey got his attention by tapping him on the back. "Hey Shades. Don't ya ever get tired of pickin' on poor, defenseless kids? Isn't der somethin' else ya'd rather be doin'?"

To Joey and everybody else's surprise, Kemo took the question very seriously. "Well, yes. I've always wanted to run my own café, you know. Dish out hamburgers, talk with the regular customers, serve up milkshakes. Being one of Pegasus's guards was far from my first choice. I sure would love to be the manager of my own cafe. Just a fool's dream, if you ask me."

"I don't believe so," said the kid that had been fighting him just minutes before. "I believe that's a wonderful idea. You should do what _you _want to do. Do whatever makes you happy."

Kemo looked at the kid. "You really think so? I mean. . .er, hem. . .You're coming with me whether you like it or not. Excuse me, but I have business to take care of."

"Actually," Yugi stopped him. "We were kind of hoping that you might allow us to use your computer again. We really need it. Please?"

Kemo mulled over it for quite some time, while the friends held their breath. They twiddled their thumbs and chewed on their fingernails as they waited for his decision. ". . .Alright. But just until I get back. What do you want with it, anyway?"

Tea answered this question. "We need to find the remaining Millennium Items and hide them or stash them away or do something else to them, anything really, to keep them away from Peg-" Taleah clasped a hand over her friend's mouth.

"Don't listen to her," she laughed, nervously. "She's insane." _My friend is a real knucklehead, _she thought to herself.

"Whatever. Use the computer. I'll come back to get it later."

"Thanks!"

"Okay Bakura, ya're on." Joey handed him the computer. "Is der a way da bring up da list of all da antique shops in the world?"

Kury placed the laptop on the ground once again. "The world? There ought to be quite a few. But yes, I could get a list. First, I must download the main screen. From there, I can type in a command and access the information database. There, it will do whatever I ask of it. Watch."

His friends watched as he punched a few more keys and the computer screen changed drastically. Instead of showing many different numbers and computer codes, it showed a blank box with the word, "search" next to it. He typed in what he wanted to search for and pressed the return key. A long list of names and locations came into view. It was so long, that he didn't even find it necessary to look over.

"These are the antique shops from around the world, all in alphabetical order. There are thousands of them. We need to be more specific, guys. We need to find a way of narrowing down what we're searching for. Unless, you want to look through each and every one?"

Joey shook his head. "Dis is asinine. We're not even sure if dit's in an antique shop! Dit could be in Japan in da museum for all we know! Or, dit could even be right under our noses."

"It's worth a try," Taleah retorted. "Incase you really _haven't _gotten enough sleep and really _are _completely oblivious, we don't have any better ideas! If you do, then come out with them!"

Joey recoiled. "Ya're mean! Ya're da one would should go back da sleep."

Taleah sighed. "I'm sorry, pal. It's just that I'm so frustrated. It seems we're running out of time. I may be wrong, but it feels that way. I just want to get this all figured out."

"Me too." 

Tea had an idea. "You guys, this may sound profoundly stupid and silly, but listen. We should try looking across the sea for an antique shop. After all, that's what the rhyme says, _'Three were spread far apart over earth, water, and wind. _What if the bowl is on the exact opposite side of the world from another Millennium Item?"

"Are you, Taleah, and Bakura, the _'three that are spread far apart over earth, water, and wind?" _Tristen inquired.

"That could be true," Yugi confessed. "But we're not far apart. And another line in the rhyme says that four came to be close together in the very end. There may only be three of us, but we're close together in every possible aspect. So I don't know which of those we apply to."

"If you guys are apart of the four that are close together, who's the other person? Wouldn't he or she be close too?"

"Hmm."

"Lets stick with one problem at a time," Kury proposed. "One's enough. Now, I can do what Tea has suggested. Is that okay with everyone? Yes?" He frowned and typed some more. "Would anybody happen to know the longitude and latitude of this island? No? That's okay. I can bring up a map. This should work." He pressed a single key.

The screen went blank as the computer registered the command. Then it beeped and revealed a rather short list with one name and one location.

Bakura was amazed. "There is an antique shop exactly on the opposite side of the world from where we are now. Pretty scary, eh?"

Joey swallowed. "Yeah. Freaky, man. Hey, is dat da phone number? We should write dit down."

"Why buddy? None of us have a cell phone."

"I think it's a good idea," Yugi supported his friend. "There's no other way of contacting the place and finding out if it has It or not. Besides, it would be nice to have the phone number just in case."

"Right." Kury wrote it down. "Should we start looking for another Millennium Item?"

"Sure."

"Okay."

"I think Pegasus has a Millennium Item," Taleah spoke suddenly. Everyone looked at her with surprise etched on their features. She shrugged. "It's just the way his hair covers half of his face, like he's hiding something. And the way it seems he knows everything. It could be the reason why he wants ours. Because supposedly, the more one has, the more power he gains and the stronger he becomes."

"Ah." Bakura understood. "That would also explain how we were able to locate the antique store on precisely the other side of the world. It's not us that it's on the opposite end of the Earth from, it's Pegasus. Which means that there's another Item out there over earth, water, and wind. Perhaps we should try looking for an antique shop directly in the center of us and the other one."

"Good idea."

"Times up duelists."

Kemo had returned.

"Da few more minutes?" Joey asked hopefully. "We're not quiet finished-"

"You are now," Kemo interrupted. "I have new orders from Pegasus that must be attended to this instant. You're time on the internet has sadly been truncated. Now, I must be leaving." He snatched his computer and passed by without another word.

"We just lost da only chance we had at findin' da stupid thin'!" Joey exclaimed. "Now what are we goin'a do? Dat slease, I bet he planned dis all along. Letting us borrow his computer, and den taking it away just when we actually figured somethin' out! I'm goina-"

"Relax Joey," Yugi requested. "It's okay. We'll find another way, without the use of the internet. We still have the phone number, remember?"

"All we need is a phone," Tristen said, quietly.

Taleah brightened up. "That should be pretty easy. There are probably over several dozen people on this island. Cell phones are pretty common. I would think that some people brought their cell phones with them. You know, to keep in touch with their friends and family? Finding one should be a breeze."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As it turned out, _finding _a person with a cell phone wasn't the problem. It was actually convincing the person to letting them _borrow _it. A few had been willing until they learned that they'd be paying for a long distance call. Many people, however, were touchy about their phones and wouldn't dare see it in the hands of a complete stranger. The six friends were finding it difficult to achieve what they wanted to do. People were just too reluctant to cooperate with them.

"I'm just about ready to collapse," Tea whined. "We've been walking around for hours and I'm hungry, sweaty, thirsty, and tired. Can't we take a break?"

At first, Yugi was reluctant. He really wanted to make that call. But after seeing Tea in her sad state, he suggested that they all take a small break. They settled under an array of trees, sat back, and relaxed. Everyone was tired although some were unwilling to admit it. The whole trip thus far, had taken a lot out of them. All of the unexpected coincidences had turned out to be a burdensome pain, and they were all both physically and mentally drained of their energy.

"Dit just seems so easy da give up and go home," Joey admitted. "I'm so tired of livin' dis way. I need da break, but I can't have one. All da stress, it's bringin' me down."

Yugi leaned back and put his arms underneath his head. "I know how you feel, Joey. Believe me, I feel the same way. But we mustn't give up. There's just too much depending on us and on our victory. To quit now, would be to throw away any chance we have at helping those we love. Stay strong. We're all in this together."

"You're too scholarly," Tea stated. "I mean, I know that this is serious and all. But you're _too _serious. With all that talk, you could be a priest or something."

"What would be wrong with that?" Yugi wondered out loud. "Think of all the people I could help and show the light."

"You're too nice."

"Yeah."

"Maybe we should get him da do somethin' evil."

"Yeah!"

Yugi chuckled. "I was just kidding about showing people the light and all. Although, being a priest wouldn't be so bad. At least, not as bad as you make it out to be."

"Sure, ya could preach all day about da Heart of da Cards," Joey quipped.

"Oh, I don't need to be a priest to do that. I could do it right now!"

They all laughed.

A girl with blackish hair and dark eyes approached them. She appeared very shy and walked with her head down, never quite meeting their gaze, her hands behind her back. 

"Are you. . .Yugi Muto? You. . .have quite the reputation here. May-may I ask you to a duel?"

"Yeah, sure," Yugi murmured. He was tired and sore from all the walking he had done. He really didn't want to duel her, but he knew that it would be impolite to refuse. "Do you have a dueling stadium reserved for us?"

"Yes," replied the girl. "Oh, and my name is Daneeka. You can call me Danny, if you like. My friends call me Danny and so does my mother. I'd be honored if you called me by that name."

Yugi blushed. "Why sure, Danny. That's a. . .pretty name."

_"Just duel!" _Tea growled.

Yugi jumped. "Okay, Tea. You don't have to bite my head off!"

"Down girl, down," Tristen joked.

"Oh, you're dead."

"Make me," Tristen and Joey said at the same time.

"Wait, I'll duel you on one condition," Yugi changed his mind. "I see that you have a cell phone. My friends and I really need to make a long distanced phone call. It's immensely important. So I'll agree to duel you, as long as we may use your phone. It would be just one once. Please? Please. . .Danny?"

"Of course. Come on, follow me."

Daneeka led them to a dueling arena nearby. It was already set up and the dueling stations were ready for her and Yugi. They each boarded their own platforms and ascended to their dueling stations. Daneeka was in the red dueling station because she was the Challenger. Yugi had the blue, because he was the Challenged. Daneeka had the first move.

"Three starchips? Alright. Then I'll play Terra the Terrible in attack mode."

A green creature with red tattoos and purple hair appeared on the field. It bore an evil grin revealing repulsive, pointy teeth. The monster was such a hideous sight, that just a glance would make one want to instantly look away.

Numbers lit up in the right hand corner of Yugi's dueling station. It showed him that Terra the Terrible had an attack strength of twelve hundred. The blue box beside the numbers was empty because Yugi hadn't played a card yet.

_Hmm, good hand, _he thought to himself. _If only I can decide what to play. My mind is all jumbled up. I can't think straight! But I cannot lose this duel. Not because of the starchips, but because of the phone. We need it, and I will not let my friends down. If only I had that strong voice-that presence-here with me now. It would make things a lot easier. Why isn't it here? Is it because my heart is not really in this duel? Whatever the matter is, I better begin concentrating. _Suddenly the presence was there. He felt a warmth in his heart and a comforting aura around him. It guided him, and advised him.

"I'll play Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress in attack mode and I'll set this card face down upon the field. Winged Dragon, Fireball Attack!"

A powerful blue dragon came into view. It had long, pointy, dangerous claws and a mighty jaw full of razor sharp teeth. To unleash its signature attack, it rose far above the dueling field, as far as the holographic simulator would allow, and performed a spiraling, sweeping dive right at Terra the Terrible. Right before impact, it spat out an enormous ball of fire at its foe and did an elegant back flip to its original position. Terra the Terrible was no more.

Danneka: 1800

Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000

Daneeka was distressed only a moment until she drew her next card. A complacent smile formed across her face. Excitedly, she put a card down on her electronic game board. "Your monster may have a strength of fourteen hundred, which is pretty strong, but my monster is even more powerful. It is the Skull Red Bird. A winged beast, it swoops down and attacks with a rain of knives stored in its wings. Your Guardian, will stand no chance. My birdie is fifteen hundred and fifty attack points strong. Attack!"

Tristen shivered in fear. "I thought she was shy. She sure just sounded pure evil."

"An' pretty freaky," Joey added.

"Some people change when they play Duel Monsters," Kury explained. "Just look at Yugi. Do you see how he seems to have more confidence in himself? How he's so self-assured? Daneeka is a shy girl, but when she plays Duel Monsters, she turns into a true competitor. She feels comfortable playing, because she is doing what she loves to do."

"Not yet, Danny," Yu-Gi-Oh stopped her. "I played a face down, remember? True, Skull Red Bird would have eliminated my dragon and a chunk of my life points, but this card will turn that all around. I'll activate my trap-Reinforcements. It increases my beast's attack strength by five hundred points during the turn it is activated. Which makes Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress, nineteen hundred. Higher then your birdies'."

"No!" Daneeka cried. "Too late to call off my attack. My bird is defeated. I attacked too soon. . ."

Daneeka: 1450

Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000

"My turn now." Yu-Gi-Oh drew another card. "Because Reinforcements only lasts one turn, my dragon is back to fourteen hundred attack points. I will keep it in attack mode and play a defense monster, face down."

Daneeka, seeing that she didn't have anything strong enough to tackle Yu-Gi-Oh's forces, laid a creature in defense mode on the field. The same monster, of which next turn, was destroyed. As were many more defensive monsters to come. Guardian of the Fortress was a formidable dragon that fiercely protected Yu-Gi-Oh's life points. Much later, Daneeka was still strengthening her defenses.

"Another one of these," she expressed gloomily. "Wait! I have an idea! I'll play a card face down and bring Ansastu into play. This card has an attack strength of seventeen hundred. Ansastu, attack!"

A silent but deadly warrior appeared and quickly crept its way over to Yu-Gi-Oh's side of the field, drawing a long, steel blade. The Winged Dragon, sensing danger, helplessly tried to escape. It fluttered its wings and let out a woeful cry. But it was too late-Ansastu was too fast. In one lightening quick motion, it brought its blade down and severed the dragon in half.

Yu-Gi-Oh winced.

Daneeka: 1450

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1700

_Heart of the Cards aid me, _he thought. _I need a powerful beast to wipe that dangerous warrior out. Anything would be okay. As long as it's over seventeen hundred attack points, anyway. I believe. . ._

Without looking, Yu-Gi-Oh slapped a card onto his electronic game board. Bright colors briefly flashed as the holographic simulator organized and registered the card's information. Dark smoke billowed out unto the field, covering it like a dark blanket. The stadium rumbled and shook as a creature of immense power rose from the center of the smoke. It was dark. Evil. Most of its body was covered with bone. It had a head like a horned skull, and two large bone plates for each shoulder. Two deep purple wings remained folded against its back. It breathed of wickedness, and treachery and evil. Among the Fiend-Type monsters, it boasted a considerable force.

"Summoned Skull, Lightening Strike!" Yu-Gi-Oh ordered.

A burst of energy exploded from the devious creature and struck the warrior, Ansastu. Its aim was precise-Ansastu was destroyed, and thus, cleared from the dueling field. Summoned Skull let out a very complacent noise that sounded like a mix between a woman's scream, fingernails scratching down a rough surface, and a growl. 

Daneeka: 650

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1700

"Your Summoned Skill may have the strong attack strength of twenty-five hundred," Daneeka admitted, "but this duel is not over yet. I have no monster in my hand that can beat it alone. But if I equip my Rogue Doll with this magic card, it makes it stronger then your fiend. Observe."

A deadly doll gifted with mystical power was now visible on the field. It wore a long, purple headdress covering its mysterious head, and bore a gold plated staff in one hand. Gradually, it lifted its staff to a desirable position, then pointed it right at Summoned Skull. The fiend was too sure of itself to know that its end had come. It was vanquished from the field.

Daneeka: 650

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1310

Yu-Gi-Oh clapped. "Well played, Danny. Well played. The only move that I have left is to play this card face down and call upon the Dark Magician in attack mode. But I don't think I'll attack you. That, ends my turn."

"In attack mode!" Daneeka exclaimed. "The Dark Magician has the same attack strength as your previous monster. Oh well, I guess my Rogue Doll will just have to destroy it as well. Rogue Doll, attack his Dark Magician!"

The Dark Magician braced itself for the assault. But the assault never came. The Rogue Doll was suspended in the air as if being held there by some invisible hand. It could not complete its attack.

Yu-Gi-Oh flipped over his face down card. "Shield Binding Circle! Not only does this card freeze and stop your monster from attacking, but it also lowers its attack by seven hundred points, making your Rogue Doll easy prey for my Dark Magician. Of which, I think I'll equip with the Book of Secret Arts. Any Spellcaster-Type monster equipped with this card, increases its attack and defense by three hundred points. Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"

Daneeka held on as the shock waves from the Spellcaster's attack hit. "Yikes! My Rogue Doll is destroyed. Guess I lost. . ."

Daneeka: 0

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1310

"Good game, Danny."

The aura left him and he became Yugi again. He had ten starchips now, but he didn't care. He was so focused on contacting the antique shop that starchips seemed like a meaningless entity. Although in fact, they were of great importance. _Now that we have that cell phone, we can finally see if what we have been hypothesizing about it really true. It's a long shot, but it's worth a try._

"Here's my phone," Danny handed it to him. "You press that button there and then punch in whatever phone number and talk away. I think I'll go challenge someone else to a duel. When I come back, have my phone waiting for me. See ya."

"Thanks."

"Appreciate it."

"Catch ya later."

"Bye."

"Good luck with your other duel."

"We'll have it ready for ya."

Tea glanced at the phone. "You guys really want to go through with this? It just seems so silly. To me, anyway. But I guess we should try anyway. Who gets to make the call?"

"I do," Bakura declared. "I'll phone the antique shop."

"Bakura, you don't have-" Yugi started, but Kury put up a hand.

"I feel I owe it to you, guys. Especially because of what happened the other night. Let me prove myself worthy of being your friend. Please, let me call this place."

Taleah was taken back. "But Kury, you don't have to prove anything. That wasn't you who almost did that terrible thing. You're not evil and manipulative and _creepy! _You're Bakura. You're our friend. So you don't have to prove yourself worthy."

"Again with _Love Ties?" _Tea asked.

"Bakura should make the call," Yugi said. "Although I do agree with Taleah, I also believe that no amount of convincing is going to change the way our friend feels. So Bakura, if you really do feel like you have to verify your loyalty to us by doing this deed, then go ahead. We're with you one hundred percent."

"Thanks Yugi." Bakura's eyes shone with gratitude and respect for his friend. "This means a lot to me. Here I go. Joe, do you have the phone number? Thanks you. Lets see. . .ah! It's ringing."

The friends gathered in a tight circle around Kury, so they all could hear. They held their breaths in anticipation. Ring after ring went by without an answer. Around the seventh ring, Joey re-checked the phone number. It was correct. But still, no reply. After the twentieth ring, Taleah calculated what time it would be there. According to her calculations, it was early morning around the world where the store was located. So really, it was the best time to call. But no one picked up the phone on the other end.

"Not open yet?" Tristen proposed.

Kury checked the phone number one last time. "Should I give up guys? There seems to be no-wait. . .Hello? Hello? Hi! Um. . .no, I don't have any plates or utensils on me. . .no, I am not a solicitor. . .no, I am not selling candy. . .hello? Are you there? Do you speak english?"

A high pitched nasal voice could be heard through the telephone. It belonged top a woman. An undoubtedly old woman, who had a very strong accent and wasn't quite sure what Bakura was saying. _"Eeeeeenlish? _Yeah, I speak English. What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you would happen to have a very ancient bowl with-"

"Bowl?" the woman cut in. "I have lots of bowls; small bowls, large bowls, pretty bowls, ugly bowls, decorative bowls, plain bowls, thick bowls, thin bowls, blue bowls, green bowls. . ."

"No, no ,no! I didn't mean just any bowl. I was referring to the one and only Millennium Bowl."

The woman quieted down. "Oh! _That _bowl."

Bakura, who was very frustrated, hit himself on the head with a hand. "Yes. _That _bowl. Would you happen to have it?"

_"That _bowl? Lets me thing. Ah! I do have _that _bowl. What do you want?"

Kury was about to reply, when he heard someone pounding on the elderly woman's door. She didn't bother waiting for him to speak. Instead, she set the phone down and went to see who it was. The pals all gathered even closer in order to hear better.

"What do you want?" they could all hear the woman say to whoever was at the door. "Let go of me! I did not give you permission to-hey!"

Bakura hung up. "Someone took her."

"We'll just have to enter Pegasus's castle as soon as possible."

"Yeah."

"Who else would want the Millennium Items?" Joey asked Bakura.

"I am not sure. The tale is only thought of as a legend, a myth. Probably only those who have an Item, crave Them all."

"I bet it's Pegasus," Tea accused. "I bet all my expensive, costly conditioning shampoo bottles that it's him. And because you three each have an Item, you're caught up in this too."

"I feel so helpless," Yugi muttered, "not being able to help that lady and all. Do you think she's okay? I sure hope she is. But if you're right Tea, and Pegasus is the one after Them, I don't see how anybody could be safe."

"We only not know of Two," Tristen said, obviously trying to be optimistic. "Right now, we have the advantage having Three and all. For even if Pegasus gets the Millennium Bowl, he'd only have Two. Wouldn't we be stronger?"

"I wouldn't underestimate Pegasus," Yugi warned. "Remember, he most likely knows more about these Items then we could ever learn. We still don't know what's fact from myth! The story the manager of that café told us could just be a made up version of the real one that has been handed down from his ancestors or whatever. So don't think too little of Pegasus. He is a dangerous man."

"What should we do now?"

"First things first, return the phone. From there, we can decide what to do next."

~

Flower Petals: Whew! Long chapter over with. . .The next two parts are shorter don't worry! Well anyhoos, thanx for reading and please review!!! Seven is the lucky number, peoples. So 7 reviews before I update!

And also, if you have the time and if it wouldn't be too much of a hassle for you, please check out my other story, Random Things You'll Never Hear. I set this really high goal of getting 50 reviews, and I need your help!!! 

Later!!!


	12. Rhymes and Reasons Part 2

Flower Petals: Hya everyone! Happy 2004! Hope you had a nice New Years Eve celebration!!!

I felt really guilty for not replying to you all last chapter, but since this chapter isn't unbearably long, I have the space, so here it goes:

For Sakurelle: I'm glad you think my story is interesting. I was afraid with all the long paragraphs people would lose interest. . .And sorry you fainted after reading the last chapter! I know it was long, but please keep reading! ^_^

For Misura: You liked my rhyme, yippee! I had a lot of fun writing it up. The part about the computers was also fun, because I actually had a similar discussion! (I'm a bit computer illiterate, you see. . .) Thanks for reviewing!!!

For TAB: Can't really remember what you wrote sis, but thanks for the review and your support!

For Psychotic Kitten: Wow, you sounded really scary in that review! (Reminder: you said you'd send me death threats if I didn't update soon). But that's okay! Luv ya anyway, and thanx a million!

For Mamono: Yeah, I know the "Millennium Bowl" was kinda lame. But I wrote this sooooo long ago that I didn't know about any other Millennium Items except for the Puzzle, Eye, and Ring, so I had to make them up! And I'm glad you like the whole legend/prophecy deal. It makes me soooooo happy!!! Thanks sooo much!

For Nari: Sorry you weren't in a talkative mood. . ._ I was very sad when you didn't write much. . .But just know, that the best cure for un-talkativeness is sugar! So I hope you're in a chatty mood soon! And thanks for the reviews and for reading this story!

For Mina: By the time you get this, you'll be all caught up! Wow, thanks more then words for reading all those chapters, I'm happy you're caught up! ^_^

For Peace Writer: Hey dude, you finally made it, yahoo! The rest of the chapters will be shorter for the most part, rest assured! Thanks for not giving up!

For Lady Silvertongue: Thank you for reviewin', even though you've never watched Yu-Gi-Oh! I really admire that not being familiar with the show didn't intimidate you when you read this. Of course, I really admire that my story alone didn't intimidate you or anyone! But thank you! And your story rox!

For Kobre Lair: I don't know if you'll ever get this, since I don't know if you've stopped reading or not, but I just wanted to say even though you don't review, thanx for your support! And I hope you'll continue to read!

  


Alrighty peoples, this is part 2 of the 3 part chapter, please read and hope ya enjoy!

  


Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything pertaining to it. But I do own Taleah, my gum, and my fingers for typing this story!__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Rhymes and Reasons Part 2_

  


After returning the cell phone to a once again, very shy Daneeka, Tristen, Joey, Tea, Bakura, Yugi, and Taleah decided to set up camp. They chose a beautiful spot in a clearing bordered by woods on one side, and a rocky cliff leading to the sandy beach on the other. It was a peaceful sight, and it reminded them all of a paradise that one could often only dream of. The whole island was a paradise; a place of magnificent beauty and perfection. Their campsite, just empathized the point.

It didn't take them long to put up the one tent and start a blazing fire. When they were finished making small adjustments here and there, they sat around the camp fire telling scary stories. Most of the stories weren't scary, however, and ended up having them on the ground laughing so hard that tears poured from their eyes. They all took turns telling their tales, each one growing weirder and wackier then the first, until they got so out of hand, that the friends stopped telling them.

Taleah eased herself back against a log. "Listen guys, I really appreciate you all being here. I would have never made it this far if you hadn't come and been there to support and root me on. So thank you."

"No problem," Tristen said. "We said that we'd help you in anyway we can, and to that, we hold true. We'll do whatever we can to help you get your parents and Yugi's grandfather back."

Joey cleared his throat.

"Oh, and to help Joey win the prize money for his sister."

"In addition to that," Kury added, "we'll help with the other dilemmas such as figuring out the riddle and locating the other two Millennium Items. They're out there somewhere, and one is supposed to be pretty close."

"Just thinkin' about dat rhyme makes my head hurt," Joey complained.

"Probably because it's not used to being used," Taleah quipped.

Joey glared at her. "Ya're din big trouble."

"Make me." 

None of them could suppress their laughter. Soon, they were all rolling around on the ground, trying to gain back control. When they were finished many minutes later, they sat back in their seats, stomachs and backs sore from laughing so hard.

The night was a dark one with only the moon brightening their camp. It was cold too-a chilly breeze occasionally came by in flagrant gusts making the campers shiver in an attempt to ward off the cold. After one particular icy gust, they decided to call it a night. But before they could take action on their decision, someone walked into their camp.

He was a tall someone who looked fatigued as if he had been traveling a long ways. He wore a casual outfit with a high-necked, dark purple jacket that nearly reached down to the ground. The jacket acted more like a cape however, for it billowed out around him. Even though he was weary, he stood tall and proud. His posture, perfect. He was Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba looked startled to see them. "Yugi? I apologize. I did not realize that you were camped at this location. Please forgive my sudden intrusion." He straightened. "Now, if you excuse me, I shall be on my way."

"Where do ya think ya're goin'?" Joey stood. "Ya barge into out camp, excuse yourself, an' den just walk away? I don't thin' so, big guy."

"I am headed to Pegasus's castle," Kaiba replied, "not that it's any of your business."

"I would only take us another day or so to collect a few more starchips, then we could all go face Pegasus together," Yugi suggested. "Of course, heh, you'll need a few starchips."

Kaiba snorted. "Hmph! Don't be so naive, Yugi. This isn't just a game for me. I'm going after Pegasus to rescue my brother. Not so I can win some silly prize. Have _fun _with your tournament." He turned and began to walk away.

Joey stomped his foot. "Dat snotty little. . .Hey!" He ran over to Kaiba and took hold of his shirt and jacket collar. "Listen tough guy, I can understan' ya wantin' da get yar little brother back an' all, but don't go thinkin' ya're da only one here with da noble cause. Caprice? We all have somethin' worth fightin' for, so if ya want da piece of Pegasus, get in line or deal wit' me."

A mischievous grin came over Kaiba's face. "Nice grip. Let me show you mine." He put his right hand over Joey's left, twisted it in one agonizing turn, and thrust Joey away easily.

Joey fell to the ground face first and laid there for some time, regaining his strength and letting the pain in his left wrist ease to a persistent throb.

"That was uncalled for!" Bakura announced.

Yugi ran over to his pal. "Are you okay, Joey?"

"Did you really think that I'd let you and this little tournament you're in, delay me from Pegasus?"

Joey slowly got to his feet and rubbed his head. "The hell with Pegasus! Now ya have me da deal wit', so bust out your cards an' lets get it on."

"I can't tell if Joey is bring brave or. . .nuts," Tea remarked.

"Forget it," Kaiba spat. "Why don't you look for an opponent you could beat, like an infant or a monkey."__

"Wha' ya say?"

Kaiba turned his back to Joey. "I don't have time for your nonsense. _Loser."_

Joey wasn't done yet. "Off goes Kaiba, actin' like he's above everybody else; like no one else dis important. Ya should get off yar high horse pal, because one of these days, it's goin' da buck ya off and trample ya!"

"Joe," Tristen warned, "Kaiba is not the kind of guy you should pick a fight with. Let him go."

"No Tristen. Wha' if dis guy has nothin' da prove? What if he's just another stuck up rich guy dat likes da strut his stuff but doesn't have anythin' except for looks, money an' an attitude problem? Well wha' do ya say, Moneybags? Care da prove me wrong?"

To everyone's utter astonishment, Kaiba turned to face Joey. "On one condition. We play using my newest innovation in holographic duel technologies."

"What does that mean?" Taleah asked, stepping beside Joey.

Kaiba looked at her and his gaze softened, imperceptibly. "It means that if Joey is really that eager to duel me, he's going to have to do it using my latest holographic system." He brought out his briefcase. "It's a new high-tech device that allows players the realism of arena matches in any setting."

"Looks like da regular old briefcase da me," Joey commented.

"It's _in _the briefcase, you moron," Kaiba scoffed. He flung what looked like a silver disc at Joey, who caught it with his right hand. "Its technology is unprecedented."

"Looks like da flyin' saucer."

"Don't be an idiot." Kaiba slid the disc on his wrist and strapped it into place. "It's the most state-of-the-ark display modulator ever built. So if you think you have what it takes, just strap it one."

Joey put his on. "Okay. Wha' next?"

"First, insert your dueling deck into the display drive recognizer. A life point count will light up and keep score for you the entire match. Then, chose a card to play and set it on the digital card reader. The rest will explain itself."

"Don't do this," Taleah begged. "Kaiba, don't let Joey provoke you like this. And for goodness sakes! Don't _duel _him! Joey, take that thing off. What are you trying to prove challenging Kaiba?"

"She's right," Tea agreed. "You two can't go along with this."

Kaiba ignored them. "All set? Then lets duel."

He spun the disc out in Joey's direction. It was connected to a cord, causing the device to halt when it reached the maximum capacity the cord allowed. Millions of tiny, twinkling lights exploded from the disc and filled the air many feet above it. Then, they began to form into a pattern. Colors and detail were added faster then the eye could see. Quite quickly, a Beast-Warrior appeared. One with tremendous power, and a hazardous axe. It was a dark brown with reddish tattoos, and red, cold yes. It stood yards above their heads, and looked way too real for a holographic image.

Yugi stepped back. "No way! That's a hologram?"

"A hologram of unprecedented realism," Kaiba replied. "It breaths, it snarls. My new dueling disc system even simulates its odor."

Joey blinked. "Ya're tellin' me? Dat thin' really stinks. Good thin' he won't be aroun' for much longer. Alright, here goes nothin'. Go Armored Lizard!" He whipped out his dueling disc.

Kaiba pointed a finger at his monster. "Go Battle Ox! Axe Slam Attack!"

The mighty ox raised its axe and with a grunt, brought it down upon its foe. At first, Armored Lizard struggled to get away, but as the sharp blade cut through its reptilian flesh, it soon conceded to defeat.

"Dat ugly, overgrown ox!" Joey cried. "It cut my lizard in half!"

Joey: 1800

Kaiba: 2000

Kaiba smirked. "This new technology isn't for the feint of heart, Joey. It's intended to force duelists to think on their feet. If it's too much for you, maybe you should give up now."

Joey jerked on the cord and the dueling disc returned to his hand. "Fat chance! Don't ya worry Kaiba, I'm da fast learner. Watch. Draw da card, spin da disc, an' bingo! The Flame Swordsman, ready da slaughter dat sirloin of yars! Attack wit' Flaming Sword of Battle!"

"But Joey," Yugi cautioned, "The Battle Ox is resistant to all fire type creatures!"

"Now he tells me," Joey grumbled as the Battle Ox destroyed another one of his monsters.

Joey: 1600

Kaiba: 2000

Kaiba called back his monster. "Why am I not surprised that you would make such an amateur mistake? Maybe from now on, you ought to let Yugi pick all your moves for you. Or better yet, why don't _I _teach you some of the advanced moves in the game the _hard _way? Mystic Horseman and Battle Ox, merge into Rapid Horseman!"

A new monster appeared that was neither one card nor the other. It was a mix of both, which made it even more powerful. It had the lower body, legs and tail of a horse. But its upper body still resembled that of the Battle Ox. The Rapid Horseman struck an intimidating pose.

"He must have used a Polymerization card to blend the two beasts together," Taleah thought out loud. "It's such a difficult card to understand, that I don't even have it in my dueling deck."

Joey grew more stubborn then ever. "Ya thin' I'm afraid of dat deformed pony? I'll show ya somethin' dat ya should be afraid of. Swamp Battle Guard, attack!"

Once again, his monster fell victim to the destructive power of the Rapid Horseman's axe.

Joey: 1400

Kaiba: 2000

"Go Battle Steer, avenge my Battle Guard! Uh! Okay, lets see. . .um. . .Smashing Rod of-eh! Er, Rude Kaiser! That one too?" Joey fell to his knees in defeat.

Joey: 500

Kaiba: 2000

"Joey you're not thinking," Kury scolded. "For heaven's sake, at least put your monsters in defense mode! At least that way you wouldn't lose any more life points." 

Kaiba let out a nefarious laugh. "That's right Joey, fall upon the dirt like a whimpering dog."

"Get up buddy," Tristen ordered. "Show him what you're made of. Don't let him get away with calling you a canine."

"Ya're right Tristen, no one calls me da whimpering dog." Joey drew his next card. "An' once he sees what I have din store for him, he's goin' da be da one in da dirt. Check dis out. Red Eyes Black Dragon! Inferno Fire Blast!"

A black dragon with glowing red eyes was transformed from the lights. It was a frighteningly scary looking beast with a long, graceful neck and a large jaw occupied by rows of exquisitely sharp teeth.

"I didn't even know he had that card!" Taleah exclaimed.

"It was one of the cards he got from trading on the ferry," Yugi explained. "It is a very rare card with powers said to rival that of the mythical Blue Eyes White Dragon."

"Alright then," Tristen said brightly, "Joey's best card. Kaiba doesn't stand a chance now."

The Red Eyes Black Dragon spat out a large streak of fire at its enemy. The heat of the blaze was so intense, that Joey and his friends had to take a step back and shield their faces. The Rapid Horseman was easily demolished to a petty mound of ashes.

Joey: 500

Kaiba: 1600

"It's just like a novice to rejoice when there's no reason to celebrate," Kaiba mused. "True, the round may be yours, but the duel is about to become mine." The color of his eyes deepened. "Your Red Eyes is a powerful dragon, but it fails in comparison to my beast."

Taleah gasped.

"The legendary Blue Eyes White Dragon! White Lightening Attack, now!"

A virtually indestructible engine of mass destruction and ruin, became visible in the night. Its body was a flawless, crystal white and its claws were unbelievably long in length. It was astoundingly beautiful, but extremely deadly. To unleash its attack, the dragon let out a mighty roar and spat out a brilliantly white gust of what appeared to be crystal flames. The attack put an end to Joey's Red Eyes.

Once again, he sank to the ground. "No, I lost. . ."

"Kaiba has a Blue Eyes White Dragon?" Kury asked. "I thought Yugi's grandfather had one."

Kaiba unstrapped the dueling disc off from his wrist. "You fool. Did you really think that Yugi's grandfather was the only one to possess such a creature? I looked all over the world for those sacred cards. I payed prices that not in three life spans could you ever gather such money. But they were worth the expense. All of them. That senile old fool who runs that Game Shop could have been a wealthy man if he had sold me his. But I guess until I can persuade him into bargaining for it, I'll just have to rely on his promise. After all, as long as he keeps it, it will never be used against me."

Yugi didn't say anything.

"Are you okay, Joey?" 

"It's alright buddy."

"Hang in there, pal."

"Get up. You shouldn't stay down like that."

But Joey didn't move.

All the events that had just taken place put Kaiba in a real bad mood. He had run out of patience, and seeing the campers baby their pathetic friend, made him angry. "That's right, Joey, stay down. Stay down like the sniveling, defeated dog I've turned you into. I'd say my duel disc system has proven quite effective. Not only did its stunning realism charge Joey into complete and utter submission, but just look at him. He's moping like a frightened dog with his tail between his legs. Which is exactly how I intend to leave Pegasus."

"But this is _Joey," _Yugi said. "Beating him doesn't give you the right to _humiliate _him."

Joey glanced up. "Don't give dat creep da satisfaction."

"Ha! Kid, did you honestly believe that Pegasus would have been any more merciful with you then I was? I understand that the Heart of the Cards is a powerful philosophy and that it all works well for you. But I need to duel my own way. I can't risk trying something new, and maybe Joey shouldn't either. Unless, he likes life as a dog; scrounging on the scraps of past victories and begging for mercy from true duelists."

"Please Kaiba," Yugi interrupted. "That's just not true. And you know it."

"Oh, yeah?" Kaiba tilted his head back to look at the castle. "Well that's the attitude you have to take if you want to stand a chance against Maximilian Pegasus. You don't understand Yugi, this is the man who created Duel Monsters. He has every card that has ever been made at his disposal. He has mastered every strategy that has ever been played. Pegasus always makes sure he has every possible advantage working in his favor. So if you want to stand a chance against him at _all, _I suggest you start dueling ruthlessly. Because that's the only way to win."

Yugi listened intently. "Some of what you say may be true, but that's no reason to take it out on us."

"This is war for me Yugi. Your friend was a casualty. Get used to it."

"That's not fair," Tea spoke up. "All we have ever tried to do is be your friend. We don't deserve to be lashed out at like this."

"Joey challenged me and I accepted. It was the dweeb's fault for thinking that he could stand a chance against me."

"How dare you call him that!" Tea snapped. She trembled with emotion. "Although he may be reckless sometimes, Joey has a heart. Unlike you, Seto Kaiba! You've spent so much time with your machines, you've forgotten what being human is about!"

Kaiba shook with anger.

"And Joey has us," Tea continued, "friends that will sand by him to the end. No matter what. Now, what do you have? What do you have at the end of the day? Tell me. Tell me!"

_"I have all that I need," _Kaiba spat vehemently threw clenched teeth. He pivoted sharply on his left heel, his jacket soaring out behind him as he strode away.

"Runnin' away again?" Joey stood now. "Dat's just it, isn't it? Ya turn yar back on all of yar problems. Ya run away."

Kaiba halted. "You're right, Joey. You _are _a problem. I think it's about time you're taken care of."

"Wanna settle this with fists?"

"Joey!" Taleah cried. "Stop it! There's got to be some way of settling this without resorting to violence."

"What are you going to do, Joey?" Kaiba taunted. "Wave your fists at me?"

"Ya're in big trouble now, Kaiba," Joey threatened.

Tristen and Bakura each took one of his arms and held him back. But Joey was persistent and struggled to break free.

"Let the barking chihuahua go. Let him do his worst."

"Don't call him that!"

"You know what? I've just about had enough of you."

"Leave her alone," Yugi said sharply.

Kaiba was amused. "Or else what?"

"He'll kick your sorry, little, rich ass off this island, literally!" Tristen filled in for Yugi.

"Well, not _exactly," _Yugi started.

"Come on Yugi, you can take him."

"Beat him to da pulp!"

"I don't want to!"

"Stop fighting," Taleah pleaded. "Please. This is insane!"

"Did you just call me 'insane'?"

"I said _this _is insane!"

"Tris is insane?"

_"This!"_

"Tris?"

"Don't call him that!"

"I wasn't!"

"You people are such losers."

"Would talk Kaiba!"

"Is that a threat?"

"Come on Moneybags, you an' me."

"Don't call him that!"

"Is that a threat?"

"Stop this guys!"

Everyone was yelling at everyone now. They kept raising their voices higher and higher in order to make their points clearer. But as they were arguing, something was coming. Something that devastated everything in its path on the way to its destination. Trees were being cleared at a rapid pace, as the something came closer. When at last the approacher was near enough, it tossed aside the remaining trees and stampeded into the campsite.

It took all the arguers by surprise. They stopped their disputes and all became very quiet, for they had never seen such a thing before. They couldn't help but fix their gaze on that something, terror running through their veins.

It was a man, or so it seemed. But it was unlike any man they had ever seen. He was huge-at the minimum, just over eight feet tall. His hands were the size of their torsos and his limbs were longer then all their body lengths. He was enormous, and deadly. The man had small beady eyes and wild, messy black hair that was barely contained within a tight cap. All in all, he looked like someone one might see in a circus. A sideshow freak.

"What are you?" Tea asked bluntly.

Everyone, including Kaiba, stared at her in disbelief, not being able to believe that one could be brave enough to address such a thing.

It laughed; a throaty noise that sounded like it was choking. "What am I? Even I am not quite sure. You could call me a man, I guess. Why? Do I not look human?"

"You're just so. . .big," Tea said, brusquely.

Taleah clasped a hand over her friend's mouth in horror.

"I believe the correct question to ask would be, _who _are you," Kaiba corrected. "Which I think I'll ask. Who do you work for? Of whom am I speaking to?"

"I am Panic. One of the four Eliminators on this island."

"What is an Eliminator?' Kury wondered out loud.

"A very dangerous kind of folk," Panic replied in a grunting, choked sort of voice that was not at all pleasing to listen to. "We are the rejects of society. The left out, the ones who never quite fit in. That was, until Pegasus found us. He gave us a purpose, a reason to live out our lives. He showed us how to make ourselves useful; how to install fear into the hearts of people. He turned us into Eliminators. Our new found purpose is to wipe the filth from this island. 

"We come out at night only, for that is the only time we dare be seen. On our nightly prowls, we hunt for prey such as yourself. Then in the darkness, we. . .eliminate you."

"Eliminate, meaning that you challenge unsuspecting duelists to matches and use intimidation tactics to defeat them, therefore removing all their starchips from their possession, and thus, disqualifying them from the competition?" Kaiba asked, sardonically. "Yes?"

Panic's jaws flexed. "You mock me."

"I state the truth," Kaiba said.

"Then you must realize by now that I intend to challenge one of you to a duel?"

No one spoke.

~

Flower Petals: Whew, thanks for reading! And please review. I'm soooo close to 100, I'm really excited! So everyone who reads, please review, I'm beggin' you, 'cause I'd really LOVE to have 100 reviews. . .

Luv ya all!

Buh bye!


	13. Rhymes and Reasons Part 3

Flower Petals:Well, hya peoples!!! YAY, I GOT 100 REVIEWS!!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

Er hem, this is the last part of the 30 page chapter so I hope you enjoy! And my thanx go out to. . . . . . . . .

For Mina: Yay, a big party sounds fun!!! I'm glad my EXTREMELY long chapters don't scare you off! And wow, it's really impressive that you read that many in one day! And thank you for the reviews!

For Maiden of the Moonlight: I LUV Panic. Sure, he's weird and creepy, but likeable, don't you think? And don't worry, I don't mind that you didn't review my last chapters, as long as you're still reading!

For TAB: IF YOU DROP A SPIDER ON ME OR SO MUCH AS EVEN BRING ONE WITHIN TWO YARDS OF ME, I'LL BITE YOU!!! 

For Misura: I'm glad you noticed the gradual change in Kaiba's attitude the last chapter. You're so observant and nice, and it makes me feel really wonderful that you're paying such close attention to my story. Thank you and thanks for the reviews!

For Nari: Um. . .well to answer your question, Kaiba DOES join up with the group eventually, but not for long. I think it will happen sometime during my next chapter, so you won't have to wait too long hopefully! And thanks for the review. ^^

For Peace Writer: Wow, what a compliment! I'm glad you like my version of the story better. Gee, I feel so special. . .And hey, how did that Connecticut thing go? Thanks for reviewin'!!!

For Sakurelle: Oh my tartersauce, I luv the line about Joey thinking the briefcase is the dueling disk as well! He was really funny in that episode. Thanks for reviewin'!

Mamono: Well, to be perfectly honest, yes. . .you are very weird. But I luv you anyway, and thanx for the reviews!!! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Nor do I own this computer or this keyboard or these keys or the internet or. . .__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Rhymes and Reasons Part 3_

  


"Lets see, who shall be my first victim?" Panic pointed a finger at each one of them. "Pegasus has promised a generous bounty to the Eliminator who wipes out you, Muto and you, Miss Dundigan. But I don't think I'll duel you, Yugi. I'll leave that up to a different Eliminator. I am no fool; I know of your talents." He turned to Joey. "Wheeler, defeating you in a match would hardly be satisfying at all. 

"So far we have one too strong, and one too weak. Ah! Kaiba. You do not even belong here. I do not think I'll duel you. As for you strange people, I do not know your names; you are not even wearing dueling gloves. You would not be worthy opponents. As for you Miss Dundigan, I think you'll do just fine. Lets duel."

"And if I were to. . .refuse?" Taleah asked carefully.

"I'm afraid I must. . .insist."

"You're not going to force her into doing anything!" exclaimed Kaiba, protectively.

"She doesn't have a choice," Panic said simply. "If she doesn't, it will lead to a big dilemma. And no matter what, she'll be forced into giving up her starchips. You see, starchips are bargaining tools that can be taken away as easily as they are gotten."

"That's not fair!" Tea remarked. "Taleah earned those chips, you can't just take them away!"

"He's not taking them away," Yugi murmured. "He's giving Taleah a chance to fight for them. It looks like she has no other choice."

"Nonsense," Kury declared. "Taleah has the right to have a say in this."

"Nope," Panic disagreed. "She entered this competition willingly. All those invited were given the right to chose if they wanted to be apart of this tournament or not. In a contest, there are risks, dangers, and perils. Miss Dundigan knew that and yet she chose to participate. And now, she is going to pay the price of such a foolish decision."

"I'll duel ya instead," Joey volunteered. "I'll take her place."

"You get him Joey!" Tristen rooted from behind a pine tree.

"No. It is Miss Dundigan that I will have the pleasure of eliminating, not you."

Yugi stepped in front of Taleah and held out his arms. "If you are looking for a worthy opponent, duel me. Leave her alone."

"And what are you going to do, you little punk? You look like you're barely out of kindergarten!" He smiled devilishly, revealing crooked teeth. "But if you want, I _can _take you out. That is, without dueling you. Your brainless audacity is getting on my nerves. And you don't want to see me angry."

Yugi stood strong. "Your intimidation tactics are not working on me, Panic. You'll have to do much more then that to make me lose my cool."

"Do I?" Panic lowered his head, eyes narrowing. "How about this then?" With a hand nearly half the size of Yugi himself, Panic smacked the brave young man, hurtling him into a nearby tree. Yugi hit the tree hard and slowly sank to the ground, limp.

"Yugi!" Taleah screamed. She tried to rush over to him, but Panic blocked her way. 

"Duel me. Until then, the rest of your friends will not be safe."

"We'll take care of Yugi, Taleah," Kury volunteered. "You do whatever you think is necessary. We are with you no matter what you decide to do."

Taleah nodded. "I chose to duel Panic. He hasn't given me much of a choice. I'll go through with it." She turned to her adversary. "Panic, you're on."

"Good. Five starchips say I wipe you out."

"Five it is," Yugi agreed.

"Then let us go to our dueling arena."

"Wait!" It was Joey who had cried out. "Since I can't battle for ya, I can dat least battle with ya. Yugi brought Gramp's duelin' deck because he felt dat every time he dueled, his grandfather would be der fightin' alongside him. So here, take dis. It's da Flame Swordsman. Put it in yar deck for now. Dat way, it might feel like I'm fightin' wit' ya."

"Thanks Joey." She meant it. "I'll take it."

"And this too," Bakura added hurriedly. "Its called Baron of the Fiend Sword. One of my favorites, personally. It's not all that strong, but it may do."

Tea also handed Taleah a card. "Wobaku. A powerful trap card."

Tristen threw a card at Taleah from behind the pine tree. "The Man-Eater Treasure Chest. My best card. It's more powerful then it looks."

"My turn." Yugi shakily got to his feet. "I will lend you Silver Fang; a snow wolf that is beautiful to the eyes, but absolutely vicious in battle. It is a creature that I think will serve you well."

Taleah felt her eyes begin to water with tears. "I cannot thank you all enough. You're all too kind." She tightened her grip on the gifts. "With these, there's no way I can lose."

"We'll see about that." Panic grabbed her arm, his long fingers easily curling all the way around. He half carried her to their dueling arena, of which was not far away.

"Let her go," Kaiba growled.

"I'll do what I please. Ah! Here we are."

The dueling stadium stood in a quaint little clearing, all by itself. The moonlight reflected off the blank field and dimly lit dueling quarters. It was all set and ready for the next duel.

Panic set Taleah down. As soon as her feet touched the ground she was off and walking towards the platform that would rise her to her dueling station. _What have I gotten myself into? Oh, it doesn't matter. I have to win, that's all there is to it. For if I lose. . ._she shuddered.

"Taleah," said a sharp tone. Kaiba walked up to her and stood close, so that no one else could hear. "Are you sure you want to do this? I could find some way-"

"No," Taleah interrupted firmly. "I must go through with this. If I don't, I have no doubt in my mind that Panic will do whatever he can to convince me otherwise. I can't risk you and the others getting hurt."

"Then. . .good luck."

"Thanks. I need all the luck I can get." She smiled weakly. "There's a song named after me, you know. One of the lyrics is, 'If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.' Oops, I just jinxed myself. Better go knock on wood."

Kaiba bore no expression. "Just win this."

"I plan on doing just that." She turned her back to him and boarded the platform. When she arrived at the top, she set her dueling deck down and tapped it lightly with her fist. _Paper product. Close enough to wood. I hope. . ._

Panic looked ridiculous in his little dueling station. He towered high above it, and had to lean pretty far down in order to just draw a card. Taleah was surprised that the thing hadn't just crumpled under his weight. Then again, Pegasus had said that the dueling stations were state-of-the-ark. . .

"I'll bring into life, Magical Ghost! It is a zombie that casts a spell of terror and confusion just before attacking its enemies."

_He's trying to frighten me, _Taleah thought. _But it won't work. Nothing will discourage me from winning this duel. Now about that zombie. It's thirteen hundred strong. Not bad, but nothing compared to Joey's Flaming Swordsman. That card has an attack strength of eighteen hundred. _"I'll attack with the Flame Swordsman; Flaming Sword of Battle!"

The wondrous warrior appeared and drove its sword right through the heart of the Magical Ghost. The green stiff succumbed to defeat and vanished from the field in a luminous display of colors and lights.

Panic: 1500

Taleah: 2000

Panic let out a creepy sound. "I'll play my next monster in defense mode."

A rectangular form lit up on the field in place of the hidden defense monster.

"Attack, Swordsman, with Flaming Sword of Battle!" Taleah ordered.

Panic snorted when his face down creature was destroyed. He spat over the side of his dueling station and drew his next card. His features brightened. "Ah, a trap card. Reinforcements, if you must know. It adds five hundred attack points to any monster I choose. And I choose Neo the Magic Swordsman who already has the high attack strength of seventeen hundred."

The Spellcaster who appeared next was a strong creature who had a mysterious presence about it. It was dressed in a medieval attire with a long cape and deadly sword. Its golden hair was straight and pure, and its light blue eyes, bold and daring. It easily crushed the Flame Swordsman.

Panic: 1500

Taleah: 1600

Taleah winced as her monster disappeared from the field. She felt a tinge of regret when she remembered that it was Joey's. But it had served her well. She drew her next card. _Sword of Dark Destruction? You can only use it in combination with a Dark-Type monster. I don't have any in my hand. This card is useless to me right now. All I can do at this point is lay down a defense monster to protect my life points._

"Attack, my Swordsman!" Panic commanded. 

Neo leapt into the air with astounding grace and agility and drove its sword mercilessly into its opponent.

Taleah fingered her bracelet. Right then, It was the only thing aiding her to keep calm. The rest of her wanted to cry out in annoyance. She was trailing, and it was driving her insane. _Yami? _she thought to herself as she slid the top card off from her dueling deck. _This card is to be used with Fiend and Spellcaster-Type monsters. I don't have any of those in my hand either. Heart of the Cards, why don't you reveal to me what you have planned? What kind of strategy are these cards to be used in? I wish I knew. _

"I'll lay this in defense mode. Your turn."

"With my new Spellcaster, Sorcerer of the Doomed, I will wipe the floor with you," Panic claimed. "Attack, dark spirit!"

Sorcerer of the Doomed was almost too hideous too look at. It was no more then a faceless skeleton with a mop of white, greyish hair. But it was more then it seemed, for every once in awhile a disfigured head would emerge from the cloaked skeleton and plead for the life of which it was robbed. They begged and pleaded and cried out for justice and redemption. They were pitiable in their distress, in a sad, pathetic way. But the Sorcerer didn't care-it grinned whenever one would emerge. The Spellcaster annihilated Taleah's defense without mirth.

_Wobaku. _That was the card Tea had leant her. _I can't quite remember what it does , but it could prove useful to have it out on the field. Then, I can attack him with this. _"Man-Eater Treasure Chest, come alive! Attack Sorcerer of the Doomed!"

What looked like a clam with jagged teeth came into sight. It briefly opened its mouth and a long, red tongue spilled out. The Sorcerer of the Doomed, caught a glimpse of treasure within the clam, and its greed won it over. But just as it got close enough to claim its riches, a vicious tongue lashed out and struck at it, eliminating the Sorcerer from play. 

Panic: 1350

Taleah: 1600

"Alright, go Taleah!" Tea cheered from far below.

"You can do it, Ta!" Tristen rooted.

"Kick ass!" Joey shouted.

"That loss didn't even phase me," Panic stated. "But I think this one will have an effect on you. Have you forgotten about my Neo? You've left your Treasure Chest wide open and susceptible to an attack. Magic Swordsman, attack with all your might!"

"Before you attack, I think I'll activate my friend's trap card." Taleah smiled. "Wobaku decreases any damage inflicted by an opponent's monster to zero. Therefore, your attack has no effect on my Fiend, and my life points are okay."

Panic sneered.

Taleah drew her next card and inhaled sharply. It was Tristen's Baron of the Fiend Sword. _Oh, I get it now. This monster is both of the Dark and the Spellcaster-Type. That means it applies to Sword of Destruction and Yami. With the four hundred attack point boost from Sword of Dark Destruction, and the two hundred from the Yami card, Baron would be twenty-one hundred strong. Perfect. _"I'll play a Field Magic card called Yami down, and I'll equip my new monster with this card. Attack!"

Neo the Magic Swordsman stood no chance against the Fiend. It didn't even put up much of a struggle.

Panic: 1100

Taleah: 1600

"I thought Panic would have lost more life points then that," Tristen thought out loud.

"Yami is a Field Magic card," Yugi explained, "therefore, it applies to all monsters on the field. It increases _all _Fiends and Spellcaster-Type creatures by two hundred points. Neo was a Spellcaster, so he got the extra two hundred points added to his attack." 

"Field Magic cards stay on the field until they are destroyed," Kaiba added. "Which means that as long as Panic plays a Fiend or Spellcaster monster, he'll get the boost in attack points as well."

"So it was a risky move," Bakura said, softly.

"Yeah, but worth dit." Joey pointed a finger at Panic. "Just look dat him! His face is so red, it looks like da tomato!"

"Technically, tomatoes are not red," Kaiba remarked. "They are usually of a dull brown or crisp orange."

"I meant it hypocritically!" Joey snapped.

"You mean hypothetically?"

"Oh, ya're askin' for it."

"I don't recall ever inquiring anything."

"Ya're din big trouble now."

"Stop it," Kury begged. "Taleah is dueling against a man three times her size, struggling to save her parents and to not get kicked off this island, and all you two can do is stand there and fight?"

"He started it," Joey growled.

"You two make me so mad," Tea declared. She walked over and slapped both of their faces. They stared at her in disbelief. "Serves you right."

Panic looked irritated. "Alright, maybe if you can't see my monsters, you'll hesitate to attack. My next card will put a black veil over my side of the field. I can play anything, but you won't see a thing so you better think twice before you attack."

Taleah bristled. _I can't see what I attack! How on earth am I supposed to know if I'm falling into some kind of trap? Oh, he put that card on the field for only one purpose-to freak me out. And it's working. Who knows what lies behind that dark mist?_

"Baron of the Fiend Sword, attack!"

Nothing happened. The dull red letters on the right side of her dueling station told her that Panic's life points had remained the same. Baron's assault had had no effect. _Defense monster, maybe?_

Panic was enjoying his new found control. "I think I'll set this down too. But I won't tell you what it is, just to keep you guessing. Do you fear what lurks behind the darkness?"

"I am not afraid of the dark, Panic," Taleah said, confidently. "Once a person conjures up the courage to not fear the unknown, they destroy the only weapon the dark has. Now, back to the game. I'll attack with Baron of the Fiend Sword!"

Her creature bolted into the darkness, sword ready. Taleah soon last track of it in the dark mist. A few seconds passed and Panic's life points remained the same. What was happening in there? It seemed like it was taking too long. Shouldn't her monster have already returned victorious? A deafening scream brought those thoughts to a close. Baron of the Fiend Sword had been wiped out.

Panic: 1100

Taleah: 1350

_Sorry Kury, _Taleah thought. _Well now at least I know how strong his monster is. But I can't even think of a monster with that exact amount of attack points. Must have strengthened it with a magic card of some sort. Which gives me an idea. _"I'll set this card face down and call upon Silver Fang in attack mode, although I won't attack.

A magnificent beast came alive on the field. It resembled that of a wolf, and had a luminously white, fluffy coat that shone brilliantly in the moonlight. It was a beautiful creature that had a certain grace and charm about it.

"Attack mode!" Panic scoffed. "Your beast only has an attack strength of twelve hundred. What chance do you think it has?"

"If you're so sure about yourself, why don't you attack?" Taleah prompted.

"Why not? Attack, beast of the shadow!"

"Taleah, wha' are ya doin'!" Joey cried. "Ya're talkin' da big risk!"

"Don't underestimate Taleah," Kaiba warned. "She has something planned. Don't insult her intelligence."

Taleah lifted a card. "I believe now would be the perfect time to reveal my trap. You've obviously increased your monster's attack by equipping it with a magic card. Which means that my trap card, Reverse Trap, should come in handy. It eliminates all increases and decreases to any monster's attack. Whatever your creature is, it has been returned to its original status."

"No!" Panic gripped the sides of his dueling station.

"Silver Fang, attack!"

Panic: 700

Taleah: 1350

The duelist smiled to herself. She had gained back control of the match. She had long since switched Man-Eating Treasure Chest to defense mode, so she had one monster guarding her life points, and one attacking her opponent's life points. All she had to do was keep it up until Panic ran out of cards. Then the duel would be hers and she wouldn't ever have to deal with that strange man again. She just hoped that Panic would run out of cards soon. Real soon. But her opponent's next card, wasn't played in defense mode.

"Giant Soldier of Stone, unleash your wrath! Take our Silver Fang!"

Taleah tried desperately to see where her monster was, but the dense black fog was too think. She could vaguely discern a rough stone soldier, but that didn't help her much. Was the Giant Soldier of Stone much stronger then her beast? It would be taken out no matter what; she just wanted to know how many life points she'd lose.

Silver Fang let out one last great howl, and was vanquished.

Panic: 700

Taleah: 1250

She bit her lip. _Alright Heart of the Cards, guide me. I so need your help. _Without hesitation, Taleah quickly drew the top card off from her deck. Monster Reborn. _With this card, I can bring back any monster lost in this game, under my control. And I think I know the perfect one. _"Reborn the Monster! Neo the Magic Swordsman, be resurrected!"

_"What?!" _Panic exclaimed.

"Neo, attack Giant Soldier of Stone!"

Panic: 200

Taleah: 1250

"This duel is not over." Panic quivered with anger. "I said I'd eliminate you, and I meant it! Panic never loses. He always wins. And no girl is going to change that! Ancient Elf, emerge and attack! My Spellcaster is extra fortified by your Yami card that is still in play. You're not going to get yourself out of this one."

_Boy, he really is overconfident. _"On the contrary, Panic, I think you've just guaranteed your defeat. Have you forgotten that Yami applies to me as well? Neo is now nineteen hundred; too strong for your elf. Finish him off, Magic Swordsman!"

In one sweeping blow, Ancient Elf was subdued.

Panic: 0

Taleah: 1250

The blazing lights and colors disappeared and the monsters gradually vanished until once again, only a dimly lit dueling arena remained, in the middle of a clearing, all by itself. The duel had been won.

"Panic is not taking his defeat well," Kury commented.

"I'd say," Tristen agreed. "It looks like Panic is having a panic attack. Which could be dangerous for a person his size. Well, I'm out of here."

The platforms were lowered and Taleah came running towards her friends. Kury caught her in his arms and swung her about a few times. She was just the slightest bit dizzy after that. Tea hugged her friend tight and Yugi and Joey slapped her on the back and told her how well she had done. Tristen waved to her from a few yards away. Kaiba remained absolutely still, and gazed in the opposite direction.

Panic brought his fists down hard upon the side of the dueling stadium, making it shake. "I can't believe I lost. Panic never loses. Panic _always _wins. He doesn't understand." He looked at Taleah with disgust. "Your fault! You deserve the blame for all of this! You should be. . .punished."

"It's not her fault," Kaiba said, cooly. He fixed his cold gaze on the disturbed man. "It is yours."

"Not true!"

"Very true."

"I do not understand this." He grabbed at his head. "This all makes no sense to me. And it's all because of you, Miss Dundigan! Why?"

"I-I d-d-don't know," Taleah sputtered.

"You're coming with me then. Maybe a little trip will change your mind and then you'll decide to answer me." Before anybody else could take action, Panic picked up Taleah and carried her off. He took long, masterful strides and was soon out of sight.

"He just went crazy!" Tea claimed.

"Lets get her!" Joey shouted.

Taleah's friends started to head after her, but Kaiba stopped them.

"I'll go after her. . .alone. Let me handle this."

"Ah, Superman Kaiba off da do a good deed, "Joey sneered. "First one?"

Yugi held his friend back. "No. Let him go. He knows what he's doing. If anybody is going to bring back Taleah, it's him. Let Kaiba go."

"Ya sure Yugi?'

"Yes."

"Hope ya know what ya're doin'."

"I do."

"Bring her back, Kaiba."

"I will." He swung around and started jogging at a fast pace through the woods. Panic was quick with his long legs and was easily outdistancing Kaiba. But Kaiba wasn't just about to give up. He had learned long ago that quitting didn't help anyone or anything. He would find Taleah and bring her back safely. He just hoped he would reach her in time.

~

Flower Petals: Ug, sorry for the typos! Gee, I can't even remember if I went over to correct them. Did I? Or did I not? Hmm . . .When did I type this up anyway? Hmm. . .

Well anygohoobles, please everyone who read this chapter, review! I'd greatly appreciate it. And the sooner ya all review, the sooner I'll update so get movin'!!!

Luv ya all!

Thanx!


	14. Unexpected Consequences

Flower Petals: Hello everyone. Sorry about the late update, it's just that things haven't been going well over here and. . .well, yeah. So sorry. And also, going back over this story has made me realize just how terrible it is, so I'm sorry you all have had to read this. And thank you SO much for supporting it anyway. But you don't have to anymore if you don't want to. . .

For Mina: Thank you for pointing out that little mishap about the Bakura/Tristen card deal. I didn't realize I had made that mistake. But I guess I just simply make too many to correct. Thank you for reviewing.

For Mamono: Admitting being weird, is the first step. Trust me. . .Oh, and I really enjoyed writing the Tea slapping Kaiba part, especially because I have wanted to do it so many times. Thanks for the reviews. 

For Peace Writer: I know I make TONS of mistakes, and I'm really sorry for them. I'll try to be better but. . .well I don't know. . .And I'm sorry you didn't make it in the Connecticut thing. But what an accomplishment being the best singer in the school. I wish I could be good at something. . .Thanks for reviewing.

For TAB: Please don't do anything evil. Please! 

For Misura: Yup, Seto sure has a people he cares about being kidnaped problem. I kind of feel sorry for him. Well, almost. . . Thank you SO much for supporting me and reviewing.

For Nari: I really like your new tournament story. I wish I could write tournaments that well. . .Thanks for reviewin'.

For Sakurelle: I'm sorry I couldn't thank you in the last chapter. I still feel real bad about that. You have stuck by me since the beginning, and for that, I'm really grateful.

For Sapphira Rains: Hey Lyss, I really like your new pen name. And shame on you for writing another story! Nah, I'm actually going to read it whenever I get the chance. 

Well thank you all for reviewing, and sorry if I forgot anybody which has been happening lately because I'm stupid and my memory is non-existent.

Also, this chapter was so long, I divided it into two parts. So here's the first one.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Nothing.__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Unexpected Consequences_

  


"Patience, Gentlemen."

The men speaking through the screen had never heard of such a word. "Of course, if you had disposed of Kaiba as originally planned, we would have already assumed power. Don't worry; we'll finished what you started."

Pegasus grew tense. "No. No one is to lay even a finger upon Seto Kaiba."

A man with a brown goatee spoke next. "But if he's able to rescue his younger brother, we'll lose our only tie to the Kaiba name."

Pegasus sighed. It would not be easy convincing business people such as the Big Five into trusting him. Then again, he couldn't be trusted. But he had no intention of letting them find out. "Mokuba's future role as figurehead will not be jeopardized by his older brother's presence. Trust me, Gentlemen. I have my own plans for Seto Kaiba and the technical knowledge he possess."

"Don't fail us."

"Gentlemen," Pegasus said as he abandoned his chair and strode over to a window, "KaibaCorp. is about to enter a new era of prosperity and you are all about to become obscenely rich." He raised his wine glass for a toast. The red liquid stirred within.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Taleah had stopped fighting him two seconds after he had picked her up. He was unbelievably strong. Too strong. So it was no use struggling. She would save her strength for later, in case she needed it. Right then, all she could do was sit perched on Panic's shoulder like some kind of parakeet and remain quiet as to not irritate him.

He had treated her well enough, besides the fact that he fact that he had kidnaped her and all. He had even begun to trust her a little bit. But that was mostly because he knew as well as Taleah did that she had no means of escape. She couldn't run-he'd catch up with her shortly. And she couldn't hide, because she didn't have enough time to run away and find a place in which to hide. She knew she couldn't escape. Her only hope was to persuade him into letting her go. Which to her now, seemed impossible. Panic was as stubborn as two Joey's. Maybe even more so.

Ever since he had first set up camp, he had been asking her questions most of which, didn't have answers to. The ones Taleah could answer got buried under a hundred more before she could even reply. Panic still couldn't believe that he had lost. It haunted him. _Tortured_ him. Once, he had even convinced himself that she had cheated somehow.

After a while, Taleah stopped trying to answer the inquiries. It was no use anyway, for she believed that even if Panic got the answers he was searching for, he still wouldn't be satisfied. But Taleah wasn't complaining. She was happy that Panic so far, seemed to have no notion of hurting her. He had been kind, even fed her, and made sure she stayed close enough to the fire for warmth. How long his so called kindness would last, Taleah wasn't sure. He seemed to be growing increasingly impatient. Which meant she was running out of time.

Panic threw another log onto the fire and sat down on the other side 

_Fire. Hmm. That gives me an idea. _"It's cold. Would I be asking to much if you could just maybe turn up the heat? The fire is so small. It looks like it's about to go out."

"Nonsense." Panic poured a large amount of propane unto the fire making it blaze brightly. "That should last until morning."

"Is that all you can do?"

Panic looked offended. "All? Alright, I'll show you a fire. How's that?"

It was a bonfire now.

_Good. Maybe somebody will see it. . ._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaiba smelled the scent of smoke long before he saw the flames flickering high above any tree. He knew that only one person could make that fire. Or dare to. _How fortuitous-I had been helplessly lost. At least now I know where the camp is situated. _He picked up his pace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I am finished asking questions."

Taleah swallowed.

"What to do with you. . ."

_Okay, now is the time somebody. . .anybody. . ._

"Hmm."

_Is he really going to hurt me?_

"I know. How about I-"

"Hand her over to me," a voice finished.

Panic hollered something inaudible at the intruder and quickly threw a dirty, old blanket over Taleah so that she couldn't be seen, whispering to her to be quiet. Then he whirled around to face Seto Kaiba. "What do you want?"

"The girl."

"What do you want with her?"

"That is none of your business."

"She's mine. You can have some other girl."

"I want this one."

Panic growled.

"How about a duel?" Kaiba proposed. "If I win, I get the girl. If I lose, you can keep her. Do whatever you want with her. Sound like a deal?"

"I am not as foolhardy as you think, Seto Kaiba." Panic's tone grew dark. "I know you were World Champion at the Duel Monster Championships. I know you're one of the top duelists in the world. Would I not be at a disadvantage to your greatness? And how are you sure that Miss Dundigan is present here?"

Kaiba's gaze never once left Panic. "Because of the way she manipulated you. But lets not go into that. I was prepared for this. How about we start this duel with myself, having one thousand less life points then you? I would be at the disadvantage."

Panic considered this. "You've got yourself a deal, Seto Kaiba. Just name the place."

"Here."

"Here?"

"Let us have a regular old duel on a game board."

"Fair enough."

"Lets duel."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Taleah felt frustrated. She couldn't see a thing! An exciting duel was going on not far from where she was hiding, and she couldn't even watch. Or-she thought as she found a pocketknife and picked it up-maybe she could. After cutting two eye shaped holes in the blanket, she was able to see what was going on outside.

Kaiba was sitting on a makeshift seat of stone, back perfectly straight, staring down at the game board with a neutral expression. Although very composed, Taleah could see that he was extremely tired. Dark circles were present under his eyes as if he hadn't gotten sleep in a long time. And his body movements were restricted as if he were weak and didn't have much strength left. Yet through all of that, he remained alert and keen.

Panic was much less dignified. He sat hunched over, face in hands, mumbling to himself. Occasionally, he'd hit himself over the head as if to wipe egregious thoughts out of his mind. As far as Taleah could tell, he was winning. Or being led into a carefully planned trap. It was more likely the latter.

The duel had been going in Panic's favor since the very beginning. He had an attack team of four different powerful monsters and was easily abolishing Kaiba's defenses. But Kaiba didn't come to be the World Champion without learning a few comeback tricks. He made sure his life points remained at fifty. It wouldn't take Panic much to finish him, but Panic was relishing in the fact that he had the upper hand. He was drawing the match out on purpose. Neither one had laid down any trap or magic cards.

It was Kaiba's turn again. He drew a card, glanced at it, then laid it face down on the game board in attack mode. Regardless of the fact that he bore no expression, Taleah could see that he looked quite smug. Too smug

Panic twisted his lips into a smile. "No longer protecting your life points? You give up too easily. I'll attack your creature with this card. That should put an end to this game."

"Yes, it does. Unfortunately, the match won't end in your favor."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, my Blue Eyes White Dragon is unstoppable. You lose Panic. Get out of here before _I _decide what to do with _you."_

Panic bolted to his feet. "I lost. . .again. This is not over, Kaiba. I'll be back and-"

"Leave or else."

Panic left.

As soon as he was out of sight, Taleah threw the blanket back, revealing her hiding place. She welcomed the refreshing cool air, took a deep breath, and sighed with relief. It was all over. 

Kaiba took her elbow, practically dragged her to her feet, and began to lead her down a trail. "I"ve wasted enough time beating that fool. Your friends are probably going to rip my head off when we get back. Are you okay?"

"Don't worry; my friends aren't into ripping off heads."

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"Yes."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No."

"That monster-"

"I don't believe in monsters. I told him so."

"Then what would you classify him as?"

"A confused, misguided man."

"A monster."

"No."

"Hurry up. Can't you walk any faster?"

"I'm walking as fast as I can! You're running!"

"Then run too."

He led her at a fast pace down the trail. Trees and foliage whirled by as they continued to run. Near the bottom the slowed down to a brisk jog. Both were exhausted and in desperate need of a long rest. They perspired profusely and within minutes, were gasping for air for their deprived lungs.

Kaiba realized that he was still holding Taleah's arm and let go. His hand fell strangely to his side, then slipped into a pocket. He cursed. "A heap of boulders is blocking our path."

It was true, Taleah saw. She could vaguely discern large stones piled on top of each other many feet above her head. It would be impossible to get over and there were was no away around them as far as she could tell. "Panic. Must've sneezed."

"Don't try to be funny."

"I wasn't trying to be funny. I was being sarcastic."

Kaiba changed the subject. "The only other path is to go around the mountain. The trail Panic had been on. There's no other way. Unless you like the scenario fo us trying to find a path threw the dense woods and having no sense of the right direction in which to go?"

"Don't try to be funny."

"I was being sarcastic."

"No, I wouldn't like to be lost," Taleah said, crossly. She eyed the path. "Around the mountain? Sounds pretty far. Are you sure you want to take the risk of my friends ripping your head off?"

"Approximately two days. I'm going with or without you."

"I forgot how pleasant you are. Very well then, I'll go with you. I'll try not to get in your way."

They began ascending the trail.

"How _did _you know that I was at the camp?" Taleah asked. "You said something about manipulation."

"You convinced Panic into starting that conflagration, "Kaiba replied. "Did you not?"

"He could have been a psychotic arsonist."

"No, it was you." Kaiba sounded positive. "If it wasn't for the fire, I would have never found you. . .in time. It was wise of you to do such a thing."

A compliment? Surely she had misheard him. "Thank you. But I have another question for you, I hope you don't mind. It's just that you seemed to have no problem putting yourself at a very high disadvantage. What if you hadn't won? You're not Superman you know, you can't just do that."

"There is no way I could have lost," Kaiba answered quickly. "And I'll do what I wish."

Taleah knew him well enough to recognize that he was in one of his bad moods. He didn't like people questioning his actions, and she had pushed him too far. He would be mad at her for quite some time, she knew but she didn't care. He had answered enough of her questions for now. Later, she would ask more.

They walked in silence back up the trail. It was a hard path to climb going up hill and all, but they made it. Kaiba was so determined to get off the mountain, that it seemed he'd drag her by her hair if he had to. Taleah couldn't help but wonder if the reason why he wanted to leave so badly was because he wanted away from her. Could he not stand to be around her? He had never really liked her, it seemed; always trying to find ways of avoiding her. _With or without you. _Well whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with her. For a few days at least.

The night had become dark fast. Clouds blanketed the sky as if trying to conceal the brilliance of the moon and stars. A breeze picked up that made Taleah shiver. It would be a cold night. And dark. _Maybe we should find a place to camp. . ._

It was as if Kaiba had read her mind. "The camp-_Panic_-set up is just over there beyond those trees. We can spend the night there unless you have any better ideas. I sure don't."

They reached the camp five minutes later. It looked abandoned, forsaken, deserted. Almost lonely. It was a pleasant little camp with a single tent that looked very attractive and inviting, and a dying fire; all that was left of the bonfire. Taleah made a move to head straight to the tent. She was exhausted and the thought of sleep seemed very pleasing. But Kaiba cut in front of her and took a seat by the dwindling fire. He hadn't said anything, but his body language told Taleah he wanted her to stay up. And there was no arguing with Seto Kaiba. She sighed and sat down beside him.

Kaiba balanced a nearby log on top of the fire. "What have you been meaning to ask me? I know you have been itching to say something since we first left that rock slide. Come on, so I can get this over with."

Taleah blinked. "Boy, you _are _efficient. But you're right. I wouldn't let you get away without answering this: What are you doing here? I thought you had been on your way to the castle."

"Got sidetracked." He grimaced. "Things did not go according to my original plan. Pegasus knows I'm alive. I should have comprehended it from the start, knowing how vain and efficacious that egotistical man is. I had a little encounter with Croquet, the Chief Tournament Liaison. Now, Pegasus has his goons all over the place looking for me. It's put me. . .a bit behind schedule so to speak."

"Croquet?" Taleah felt a coldness sweep over her body, and it wasn't from the icy breeze. "He's the guy that Pegasus gave orders to, to have my parents kidnaped." She felt her eyes begin to water. _Mom. . .Dad. . ._

"I am sorry. I did not mean to unsettle you. Hey. Hey, it's okay. It's. . .alright."

Tears flowed freely from her cheeks. "No it's not. They're gone and it's all my fault. Pegasus couldn't get what he wanted from me, so he sought to hurt me by taking away those I love. He took everything. It's because of me it happened. My parents would be home safe right now, reading the newspaper, drinking their coffee, and arguing over misplaced car keys if it hadn't been for me. Me and my stupid bracelet."

"It's not-"

"I'm going to bed," Taleah declared. "Good night." She walked over to the tent and unzipped it. Inside, there was quite a lot of space. Room for many people. Which got her thinking. Where was Kaiba sleeping? It was a cold night. Too cold to sleep outside. _Stop being selfish, _Taleah told herself. _Get over yourself. It may be your fault that your parents are gone, but you're going to get them back. Invite Kaiba to sleep in the tent with you. There's plenty of room. Shame, no bed rolls or pillows. _She had to laugh to herself for that one. She had never been the outdoor type. Sure, she enjoyed nature and liked to go camping, _occasionally, _but not without the necessities. Like pillows. She couldn't imagine herself sleeping on the hard floor, even if it was in a tent.

"Taleah?"

"Kaiba, where were you going to sleep?"

"I thought it would be necessary if I'd-"

"No. Come and sleep in the tent with me. Lucky Panic is so huge. There's room enough for four people! You don't have to sleep outside. That is, if you can stand my company."

"I think I can manage for one night."

His face was so neutral, that Taleah didn't know if he had been joking or not. Joking? She thought not. Kaiba was serious. He was always serious. He never smiled, grinned, laughed, or even joked. Except on rare occasions around Mo, but he never revealed that side of him to anyone else. Although, Taleah would sometimes see him ruffle his younger brother's hair and play around with him. But those times had been so few. . .

He entered the tent with her and zipped it back up behind him. Taleah crawled over to the far right hand corner, giving Kaiba a lot of space incase he really couldn't stand to be around her. She curled up into a tight ball and tucked her hands underneath her head. 

The ground was hard and unleveled. And to make matters worse, there was a rather large pebble right where Taleah's head space was. _Just my luck, _she thought to herself. _It's not going to be an easy night. Especially it being so chilly._

Kaiba saw her shivering. "There were no blankets except for an old one that was encrusted with dirt and had two strangely shaped holes. Don't take your shoes off. You will freeze."

"Thanks for the warning. Good night."

_It's so cold. No, don't think about that. What did Mom use to say? If you are freezing, think about a warm place. A desert. Imagine yourself being in a desert wearing layer after layer of cloths. It's hot. Too hot. You can't take the heat. It's burning. Oh, screw this! I'm cold! _She shivered and hugged herself for warmth. _I'm going to die from exposure to cold temperatures and by the time my friend's find me, I'll be a human ice cube. _Then suddenly, there was warmth. She propped herself up on an elbow to discover the source.

Kaiba laid back down on his back. As she stared at him, she realized that something was missing. Something about him just wasn't right. Then it hit her. He wasn't wearing his cape-like jacket. She had never seen him without it before.

_He took it off and put it around me. I can't except this; he'll freeze! _"Thank you, but I can do without it," Taleah protested. "Here, take it back."

"Keep it." His tone was firm. He meant it.

Taleah settled back down. _Warm. Comfortable. Poor Kaiba, he'll. . .he'll. . ._Sleep had claimed her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mo sat in his cell feeling very miserable. He was chained and shackled to the wall, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. It was times like those that he wished he could be like Indiana Jones. Indiana could have found a way out of that dismal place. Well, him or the Power Rangers. They were pretty cool too.

Mo was bored, and ever so miserable. There was nothing to do in the cell except name the rats and cockroaches. But he tried to avoid the cockroaches. They were slimy and they smelled funny. Giving names to the rats was fun. There was Shorty, Fang Teeth, Ratty, Ratrupus, Stupid Mouse, and of course, Pegasus. Pegasus had been by far the meanest, most ruthless rat of them all. So Mo had taken great pleasure in knowing that the evil rodent had died just the other day and even possibly, been eaten.

The young Kaiba sighed. It hadn't always been like this-when he had fist arrived at the castle, he had been given a luxury room with his very own bath. And how he loved bubble baths! But that hadn't stopped him from sneaking out one night and spying on a secret meeting between Pegasus and the Big Five. When Pegasus had found out, Mo had been sent to a less pleasant room. But he hadn't been intimidated; that very night he had tried to escape through one window, but he had gotten stuck. Then, it had been the dungeon. And there was no escaping from the dungeon.

_My older brother will come for me, _Mo thought to himself. _I know he will. He's never let me down before. He's never left me. Even at the orphanage when many families offered to adopt him, he wouldn't leave without me. Lots of people would walk in and say that they wanted to have him as their son. They said he was a genius. But he refused to be adopted without me. Where are you brother? I need you. Why haven't you come yet? Please hurry. . ._

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

The early morning sunlight shone through the tent and onto Taleah's face. She opened her eyes, blinked a few times, and observed her surroundings. _Still in the tent. Big surprise. And. . .Kaiba is still asleep. _She grinned to herself. Rich people really _were _lazy and really _did _sleep in. _That's okay. You get all the rest you can. You need it._

He was lying on his back, hands folded over his stomach, head set high and proud. He looked like one of those entombed Egyptian pharaohs that archaeologists were finding nowadays. It struck Taleah as funny that he had perfect posture even while being asleep.

She silently envied that. She was one of those people who would unconsciously work themselves into pretzels overnight. Just that morning, she had woken up to find herself on her side with one leg above her waist, and the other somewhere underneath her, and both arms twisted around her torso. Kaiba's coat wasn't even near her. Sometime during the night she must have kicked it off. It had kept her warm though. The coat. . .She didn't need it any more. _But Kaiba probably does._

As she placed the jacket over him, she couldn't help but notice how peaceful and unclouded his features appeared. Almost serene. She had never seen him look that way before. He was so. .. calm. There was something else too, Taleah realized. He wasn't glaring. His forehead wasn't wrinkling in constant thought. It was then she realized just how attractive Kaiba really was when he wasn't angry. Which, unfortunately, was most of the time.

Taleah shook her head to clear her mind and exited the tent. It was chilly outside, so she decided to start a small cooking fire and maybe even begin breakfast. She found a duffel bag of which Panic had left behind, containing matches, a few random ingredients for a meal, as well as pots, pans, and cooking utensils. _Pancakes. That doesn't sound too bad. No whip cream though, that sucks._

She began to whistle softly to herself as she cooked. It was a habit she had gotten from her mother. In a way, she was a lot like her mother, having her brown hair and eyes, and a natural curiosity torwards things. But she was a lot like her father as well. Her mother was always saying how they shared the same mischievous grin and dry sense of humor. _Oh, I've got to stop thinking about them. It's just too depressing._

After a few pitiful attempts at flipping the pancakes ended in failure, Taleah conceded to defeat and prayed that they were cooked thoroughly enough. Though, they almost looked too cooked. Overcooked. _No; I burned them. Well, maybe I can eat them all before sleepy head wakes up. I can always tell him to make his own breakfast._

She slid a pancake onto a paper plate, grabbed a fork, cut herself a bite, and stuffed it into her mouth. _They aren't that bad, _she thought as she chewed. And chewed. _Maybe a little chewy. Just needs butter that's all. A lot of butter. Not enough. More. _She had run out of butter. _One down, three more to go. I'll never make it._

There was a brief sharp hissing sound as Kaiba unzipped the tent. He came out and stretched. When he saw Taleah, he gazed at her skeptically. "Pancakes?"

"They're good," Taleah lied. "Saved you three."

"Joy."

"Three nice, big, juicy ones."

"Have I forgotten to mention to you that I no longer require breakfast?"

Taleah shoved the plate into his hands. "Eat it. I'm going to find a pond or river to freshen up. I heard the sound of rushing water last night, so I'm hoping there's a river or something. So eat, and I'll be back shortly."

As she walked away, she could feel his eyes on her back. Would he really eat them? She kind of hoped not. They might make him sick or even give him a stomach ache. _Serves him right for insulting my cooking. _She didn't know why, but she smiled to herself all the way to the river.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaiba stared at the pancakes with disgust. He wrinkled his nose. He was hungry, but not _that _hungry. They simply weren't eating for any reason. Except maybe for one: Taleah. She had gone through the trouble of making them, so surely it wouldn't be that hard. 

It was that hard.

But despite how repulsive they looked and tasted, he ate them. Every last one. For Taleah.

Taleah. He hadn't meant to upset her the previous night. She blamed herself for what had happened. She was always taking the responsibility for everything. She thought it was her fault. But it was his. It he hadn't allowed himself to. . .No, he wouldn't dwell on that. He had to get away from Taleah. Just being around her put her at risk. He would get them off the mountain, deliver her to her friends, and make sure they took their separate paths. No danger. No risk.

He was busy going over complicated math equations and stock market predictions in his head, when Taleah practically skipped into camp. Her hair sparkled in the sunshine and her eyes were vibrant and eager. She looked lovely.

She grinned at him. "You ate my pancakes. You're braver then I had originally thought."

"You shouldn't underestimate me."

"How dare you accuse me of such a crime."

Kaiba stood. "We're already to go. We should keep moving."

"What about the tent? If you're right about the trail taking two days, then shouldn't we bring it along?"

"It would be the sensible thing to do. If you want it, you take it. I'm not carrying around that damn thing. It looks heavy."

"You're right," Taleah agreed. "It would probably be a pain to take along. Did you pack the cooking gear?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Off we go, I guess."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rather then a steady climb, the path they took was a winding one that wove around the mountain. It was a pleasant trail with an absolutely gorgeous view. One could see for miles in every direction from where they were. It was all around beautiful terrain.

They walked in silence for most of the day, occasionally taking short breaks to catch their breaths. Taleah didn't like the silence-it made her feel uncomfortable. She asked Kaiba a few questions about technology and his company. She even got him to tell her a little about a few of his employees. A little. It seemed that he didn't know much about the people working for him, or didn't care to. He answered all of her questions automatically, in a perfunctory way. But that was the way of Seto Kaiba.

The day had gone by fast. The last rays of sunshine filtered through the clouds as the sun began its descent. Darkness would be approaching, and with it, the cold.

Taleah and Kaiba covered a lot of ground that day. They were nearly at the top of the mountain. There, the trail would descend at a rapid pace to the bottom. Which was where Taleah hoped her friends would be waiting for her. As night approached, she and Kaiba took their last break for the day.

"This should be a good place to sleep for the night," Taleah said as she drank from the canteen Kaiba had handed her.

"What's wrong?"

"Mmm?"

"Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you."

"Bull. You've been distant all day. Something has been bothering you. Tell me what it is. Why are you mad at me?"

Taleah was about to protest, but she stopped. He was right; she had been distracted. But it wasn't completely because of him. She missed her friends. And thinking about them made her remember how Joey had looked on his knees on the ground, after he had lost the match to Kaiba. "I'm not mad at you. Just upset."

"And?"

_Tell him. Get it off your chest. _"I. . .I. . .Why did you agree to duel Joey? You knew he couldn't win against you. We all knew. He was a fool to challenge you. But you were even more of a fool to accept. He had just starting believing in himself. After his duel with Rondayas, I didn't think it possible." Taleah couldn't bring herself to stop. She went on to tell Kaiba about Joey's duel against Rondayas and how he had lost so miserably and was about to get booted off the island. Then she told him about how Joey had bounced right back and got a few more starchips even. "I don't know why you battled him, I just know that it was stupid."

Kaiba's jaws tightened. "I don't care."

"I'm sorry," Taleah suddenly apologized. She lifted a hand to her face. "I didn't mean for all that to come out. I'm sorry. I know you don't care. It doesn't matter to you."

"Do you hate me?'

"No!" Taleah stared at him in surprise. "I don't hate you. You're just hard to understand. But I think I know why you're this way. You shut everybody out because you're afraid to care for them, lest they should be lost Your parents died, and you loved them, Pegasus is trying to take over your company. And the only family you have left-your brother-was taken away from you. Although I'll never know-I _hope _I'll never know-what it's like to lose somebody I care about, I can understand what you went through. What you're_ still _going through. But you just can't stop caring for everything and everybody.

"Don't we all wish we could hide inside our rooms and lock ourselves away? And vow not to care about anything or anyone ever again?" She shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. People get under your skin. It's really impossible to not care about someone. There's always something about somebody that you like. Why have you just stopped caring for people?"

"Because everybody I ever cared for is either dead or gone!" Kaiba snapped. "There's just no point in caring anymore."

"That's not true," Taleah countered stubbornly. "People are worth the effort."

"Not if they're going to be taken away from you anyway. I made a mistake feeling something for Mokuba. A mistake, that's not going to occur again."

Taleah had had enough. She was tired and upset and angry. And her tolerance levels had reached zero. "You are a selfish, self-centered, self-righteous monster! All you care about is yourself, and anybody who has ever tried to mean something to you is classified as being in your way. I'll tell you this, go ahead and live a lonely, miserable life. That's what you want isn't it? For everybody to leave you alone?

"I remember that night after the talent show contest when you accused me of bathing in my own self pity. I was. But that was just one day. _One_ day in all my years. How many days has it been for you, Seto Kaiba? Ever moment of every day in your entire, sorry life?"

"I thought you didn't believe in monsters," Kaiba whispered.

"I don't. But that doesn't mean I can't call you one. Besides, you believe in them, so you can call yourself one."

Kaiba nodded and put his hands in his pockets. Then he turned and walked off in the opposite direction from Taleah.

As she watched him leave, she felt her anger leave her. Every last trace of it. She felt broken. Shattered. And apologetic. She had let her emotions get the better of her, and she was regretting it. _I hurt him, _she thought guiltily. _I really hurt him. Oh, Kaiba, please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please come back. Please forgive me. . ._

_~_

Flower Petals: Thank you for reading, and please review. You don't have to, but if you have time. . .Well, yeah. . .

Oh, and Kobre Lair is throwing a really cool on-line tournament that YOU get to be apart of. He needs people to apply, so if you're interested, his story's name is Online Duels. There's room for forty contestants, so enter soon!

I'll update as soon as I can whether or not anyone cares because I'm pathetic that way. . .


	15. Unexpected Consequences Part 2

__Flower Petals: Hya peoples! I just wanted to say, sorry I was so depressed in the last chapter. Thank you all for cheering me up! It really helped. ^^ I'll try and be happier.....

Well, this is the second part of Unexpected Consequences, so read and *hopefully* enjoy. It's kinda Kaiba-angsty with some humor I guess. Oh!!!! And before you read, I guess I sorta have to warn you, there MAY be a lot of spelling mistakes because stupidly, I was watching Yu Yu Hakusho at the same time I was going back over and correcting this chapter, so I wanna apologize in-head of time! 

For FluffyLittleDragon: Your pen name is soooo kawaii!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad you think my story is great so far. ^^

For Kobre Lair: Nah, don't apologize for a late review. It means more to me that you're still taking the time to read, anyway. And I'm sorry you're having so many problems with your Online Duel story! I had similar trouble with one of mine. But I'm really looking forward to reading some chapters! It'll be great, for sure! ^-^

For Maiden of the Moonlight: You're right, putting yourself down never really helps anyone. Thank you for your kind words, and for reviewin'! It's always so wonderful hearing from you.^^

For Mamono: Huh??? Welcome to Weirdo Anonymous? You just keeping getting weirder! Nah, just kidding.....^-^ Thank you for reviewin', and if it helps, weirdness is sooooo much better then boring normality!

For TAB: Well, I don't know what to say for you because I see you like every hour of every day, so.....I guess, thank you for reviewing all my stories and for supporting me with everything (even the crazy things) I chose to do in life!

For Sakurelle: Yeah, I know how it is saying things you don't really mean. It's just that sometimes (well all the time with me because things just come out of my mouth faster then I can realize what I'm saying!) it just happens, and you have to deal with it. I mean, I've done the ol' accidental "congratulations" to a woman who wasn't pregnant and everything.But I always say, and I guess I should actually start paying attention to it, "If you say it, you own it." But anygohoobles, sorry about that!!! I guess in a way I'm a lot like poor Crimson.....Thank you for reviewing!

For Nari: Yay! I'm glad reading this story put you in a better mood! Actually, I find it VERY difficult to picture you grumpy. A grumpy Nari? No tartersauce way!!!! Thanks tons of millions!!! ^^

For Peace Writer: Bwahahahahahahahahaha! I LUV drama! It's actually kinda sad, because I have these like cute fluffy little stories, but at least ONE chapter in them is sorta dramatic, because I just can't stay away from it! I mean, I have this cute story written up that actually ends sad because the fluffy main character dies, because I couldn't help myself! Now, why do I do that????? Ah, well......Thanks SO much for reviewing!

For Mina: Alright, I FINALLY remember the name of your yami, so here it goes: Thank you Mina AND Kaiya for reviewing! Oh, and don't worry about the whole laziness thing. Lazy, is the only way to go! ^^

For Misura: I LUV writing Kaiba angst. I don't know, maybe I just think it's fun writing about difficult characters who have TONS of problems. Don't you???? Or am I just being weird and creepy again??? Thank you gazillions for your support and for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, because if I did, I wouldn't be sitting around writing fan fictions about something I created, and I'd be eating yummy Burger King whoppers in the back seat of my expensive limo!!!!__

  


_Flower Petals_

_Unexpected Consequences Part 2_

  
  


_ How many days has it been for you, Seto Kaiba? Every moment of every day in your entire sorry life? You're a selfish, self-centered, self-righteous monster! All you care about is yourself. You shut everybody out because you're afraid to care for them, lest they be lost. You're a selfish, self-centered, self-righteous monster! A monster. . .monster. . ._

Well, maybe he was. But what could he do about it? It wasn't his fault everybody he had ever felt something for was gone. Or, maybe it was. He had suspected that Pegasus might try something. He could have protected Kiddo. Instead, he had saved his own neck without even trying to guard his little brother against those bastards. He had saved himself.

Suddenly, he remembered when he had jumped out of his bedroom window and narrowly escaped death. And how he had pictured his funeral and discovered that no one would attend it. He had been in a state of shock back then, but he had come across a very true fact-no one _would _care if he was gone. Except his brother, Kiddo. 

He had learned long ago what fate had in store for him. He was chosen to live a lonely life. Never to love. Never to have friends or close relationships. Never to have a family. Never to be cared about. It was his path. But according to Taleah's words, it sounded like she thought he could change his destiny. It was asinine, but for some reason, what she had said made sense to him. He had always believed that you couldn't change what was meant to happen to you. Taleah thought otherwise. She thought. . .she thought. . .

_You're a monster. A selfish, self-centered, self-righteous monster. Go ahead and live a lonely, miserable life. That's what you want isn't it? For everybody to leave you alone. You're a monster. _Those words stung him. He had never guessed that they'd have such a powerful effect on him. They hurt. Because they were true.

_You've spent so much time with your machines, you've forgotten what being human is about! _Even Tea's words stung like thousands of spiny needles. But his father's, were the worst of them all.

He shook with anger and a bitter hatred as he pictured his father's face. Now that man, was a monster. He had lived and thrived off of making people miserable. Tearing away at their spirits, sucking the life out of them. Making them feel inferior and not worth anyone's time. Which is how he had made Kaiba feel.

_You'll never be Noah. No one ever will. Noah was perfect. Noah was beyond any descriptive words. You'll never replace him. You are nothing. A nonentity. You will never be important. You will live a life spent with yourself. Because that is what you deserve. You do not deserve love, or kindness or remorse. You deserve to be lonely._

Lonely. All the anger left, and Kaiba felt weak. He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. His so called father was a hideous, terrible man. For it was not only the man's words that hurt Kaiba. Oh no, Gozubaru did much worse then that. But it was his words that hurt the most. And the knowledge that Kaiba had spent every day trying to be Noah. He had spend almost all of his life trying to be someone he was not. Never being good enough. Never meeting his father's expectations. Never being perfect Noah. Gozubaru. Monster.

Was Kaiba any different from him? He didn't enjoy making people hurt, but he did so anyway. Did that not put him in the same boat as his father? No, not his father. _Never _his father. He would not become that man. He had spent so many years vowing just that. Now, he realized it had been vows ill spent. He had become like Gozubaru. Driven by fear, sorrow, and anguish. He was his father's son.

_No! _Kaiba violently shook his head from side to side, tearing at the joints in his neck. _Not my father. I will not be like him. Never. Never again. No matter what it takes, I will not become the man Gozubaru turned into. I have wasted so many years of my life being someone I could never be, living by someone else's rules, and living under that spiteful man's roof. Not anymore. He's dead. And so is his precious Noah. I'm still here though. And I'm going to make the best out of what time I have left._

Could he change his life around? It might be too late. _Better late then never, _Kiddo had always said. Kiddo... He may not be able to change his life around, but he was sure going to try. And he was going to start by rescuing Mokuba.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taleah didn't see Kaiba again until the following morning. He ignored her, pretending she didn't exist. He wouldn't talk to her either. She had tried to apologize about the other night, but Kaiba had just turned his back to her and finished breakfast. After their meal, they had continued their journey. In silence. Taleah didn't think that he was still made at her. Rather, thinking too hard about something and not even noticing that she existed.

It had been a rough night for her. First, she hadn't been able to find a pleasant place to sleep. And then, when she had finally found a place that looked decent enough, she had found out there was an ant's nest near her feet, in a most unpleasant way. After that, it had been the trees for her. In the end, she had gotten no sleep, was very irritable, and had insect bites in the most embarrassing of places. She wasn't too thrilled, but this time, she wasn't going to take it out on Kaiba.

But as the hours went by and Kaiba still wasn't talking, she decided she couldn't take it anymore. "Why are you mad at me?"

Kaiba's face was impassive. "I'm not mad at you. I have been engaged in my own thoughts. I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Stop sounding like a computer," Taleah snapped.

They approached a wide river. Water rushed by at a startling pace as it picked up and hurtled anything in its path, downstream. On the opposite shore, the trail continued.

"The level of the water must have increased due to the rainfalls we've had this year," Kaiba explained. "If you look over to the left a bit, you can see a makeshift bridge. It's too dangerous to cross for us. We'll have to take the stones."

"What stones?"

"I could carry you."

"No. I'll cross myself." She walked right past him, took a breath, and leapt onto one of the partially submerged stones. It was slippery, and her foot slid a little, but she maintained her balance. _What has my stubborn streak gotten me into this time? _she wondered as she leapt onto another wet stone. _A few more left. _She jumped. _Half way there. Going to make it. _The next rock looked like a bad one, with abundant moss growthlong its surface. _It didn't stop whoever placed these here, so it's not going to stop me._

As it turned out, the next stone was the problem. Her foot skidded and went out from under her. She felt herself falling. Falling into the river's icy grasp. 

Kaiba was on the scene in an instant. He threw himself into the water, and caught Taleah just before she hit the river. He gathered her in his arms and carried her across to the opposite bank. When he got there, he set her down and continued on the trail.

Taleah gasped for air. The whole event had made her quite dizzy and numb. And her heart was beating fast against her chest. "Thank. . .you. You didn't. . .have to-"

"Don't ever do that again."

"Not planning. . .on it; I don't l-like getting wet."

"Don't be that way."

'Well, aren't you full of 'don't's today?"

"Don't say that."

Taleah rolled her eyes. She knew what she had done was foolish, but she didn't need Kaiba scolding her as if she was an infant. Although, she was kind of touched that he had seemed worried about her. He had never appeared to care about her before. Once, when she and Mo teamed up against him in a tennis match, Taleah had accidently gotten hit square in the head by an out-of-control tennis ball. It had managed to land in the court however, so Kaiba had gotten the point and continued on serving. Where was his worrying then? She sighed. Kaiba was definitely a riddle.

A few feet in front of them was a gigantic pile of stones and boulders. The trail lead right up to the heap then stopped. Taleah figured there had been a rockslide some time ago for the rocks appeared to have been there for quite some time. There was no way around, and Taleah wasn't looking forward to climbing the mound. _The rocks in the river weren't placed there by people, _she realized. _They must have broken away from the other stones and plummeted into the river. At least these stones look solid and not slippery. Though I have no idea how to get over._

Kaiba had his own plans. Much to Taleah's surprise, he took her hand in his and lead her over the first boulders. She was about to ask what he thought he was doing when he climbed over the first rock, turned around and lifted her up. He was helping her get over the rocks. She was glad he was, because it was hard going, and she knew that she couldn't have done it by herself. When they reached the top, he was still holding her hand.

"The top of the mountain," he said.

Taleah lifted a questioning brow.

"I may have misconceived the direction of the trail," Kaiba admitted. "It goes directly over the mountain and back down, versus going around."

"That's okay. You were still right about it taking two days. Going down should be much easier." _I hope, _she added silently to herself.

It was a fantastic view from where they stood. Everything looked so small and unimportant. Dueling arenas and duelists, looked like toys. Pegasus's castle appeared like a white doll house in the distance. All of Taleah's cares seemed fo far below. So far away. . .

"Taleah?"

"Come out wherever ya are!"

"She's not playing hide 'n seek, you nincompoop."

"Are you up there?"

"I'm not climbing that hill!"

It was her friends, Taleah realized. Looking closely, she could make out five small figures in a single file line climbing up the other side of the trail. They were coming for her. She smiled as she watched them laugh and argue with each other. She had missed them so much. Being without them was like missing a piece of herself. _They care for me. _She suddenly felt uneasy. _What if I'm putting them in danger? Pegasus is an unpredictable man, and if it wasn't for me, they'd be far away from him._

"Taleah, I need to talk to you," Kaiba said as he watched the approachers.

_I'm putting them at risk. It would be my fault if they got hurt._

"Taleah? I know you're in there."

_I couldn't live with myself if something happened to any one of them._

"I am serious. I really need to talk to you."

_Then again, I didn't force them to come. They came here on their own free will. Because they really care about me._

"Attention Deficit Disorder? Or selective hearing?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I was in a daze. Um, what were you saying? What did you want to talk to me about? You have my full, undivided attention."

Kaiba cast her a sideways glance. "Until the next time you space out. Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for all that I have put you and your friends through. There was some truth in what you said last night. But I don't believe that you could ever understand what I've been through. You act as if it was a walk in the park; over and done with.

"I still believe that everybody I care about is in danger. And so are the people I care about now."

Taleah was hurt and desperate to get her point across. "I know that you've had a bad childhood. People abused you and treated you cruely. But that's no reason-no excuse- to be this way and treat people the way you do. You've built a fortress around your feelings, and you hurt the people who try to climb that wall.

"You don't know how many times I've wished I could just lock myself in my room and never care about anybody or anyone again. I've wished that _so _many times. But I know I couldn't, it's not right.

"No matter how hard you try not to be, you are _human. _Complete with human emotions, human problems, human issues, human mistakes. . .You are human. Titles and badges don't make you who you are. The people around you do. Wealth and riches don't make life worth living. It's the people in your life that do.

"So you can't just turn your back on the world! You know why? Because the world will never-_never-_turn its back on you. No matter how high you put up your defenses, there is always going to be someone trying to bring them down. Trying to make themselves important to you. Trying to matter." It was no use-she could see it in his eyes that he wasn't truly listening. _I'm wasting my time. My friends are almost here; I should probably go and meet them._

Kaiba quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her in near, so she was looking right into his deep, blue eyes. "I don't want you to ever think that you don't matter to me," he said as he caressed her cheek. Then he frowned a little, wrinkling his brow, leaned in, and kissed her gently.

Taleah was taken back by surprise. She hadn't thought he liked her in that way. She hadn't thought he liked her at all! Thought after thought raced through her head. But as he placed a hand around her neck, bringing her in even closer, she forgot everything in that sweet embrace. 

"Taleah?" Tea called from somewhere down on the trail. "Are you up there?"

"I'm tired!" They could all hear Joey say. "I'm not goin' da climb any more. Carry me."

Then came a noise that sounded like someone had hit Joey over the head.

Taleah drew away and managed a sort of smile. "I think they're almost to the top of the trail."

Kaiba swore under his breath. "They sure climb damn fast."

"Maybe you kiss too damn slow.'

There was the faintest curve at the corners of Kaiba's mouth. It was almost as if he was attempting to smile for the first time in many, many years. He tucked a lock of her hair behind one of her ears. "Could turn out to be a problem."

Taleah's friends had reached the top of the mountain and came bounding over to her with arms outstretched. She met them half way and hugged them all. They were so glad to see her, they didn't want to let go. Joey even came back for a second hug.

When Taleah finally managed to escape her friends' arms, she asked, "What are you guys doing here? You really climbed the mountain?'

Tea hugged her friend again. "Yeah. These lazies were just sitting around and doing nothing-"

"Hey! I got ten starchips!" Joey cried indignantly.

"Whatever." Tea continued. "We were worried about you. And Kaiba was taking way too long, so we went to see what was up. When we saw the rock slide, we figured that something was wrong, so we came up the other side of the trail. Can you believe that I actually got these woosies to hike up a mountain?'

"Yup," Yugi said, "she sure whipped us into shape."

"I could have brought her back myself," Kaiba snapped. "We would have met up with you in the morning. It was not necessary for you to come all this way."

"Sure it was," Joey disagreed. "I got my exercise for da next few months."

Taleah chuckled. "Well, not _exactly. _We still have to go down the mountain. Which reminds me. You said you have ten starchips, Joey? I'm so proud. But now that we all have the required amount, shall we head over to Pegasus's castle?"

"More travel?" Joey whined.

"We mustn't set up camp," Yugi decided, growing serious. "We've had way too many delays. Now is the time to confront Pegasus. Who knows how many Millennium Items he has now."

Kaiba tilted his head, questioningly.

"It's a long story," Kury replied. "Too long for right now."

"So we all agree on heading to the castle?" Taleah asked.

"Yeah!"

"Sure!"

"Sounds good to me!"

"Okay."

"More travel?"

"If it is necessary."

"Are you coming with us Kaiba?" Yugi asked.

Kaiba cast his sapphire colored gaze in Taleah's direction. "If that would be okay with all of you. I am headed there anyway."

"We should all go together," Taleah stated.

"Yeah!"

"Sure!"

"Sounds good to me."

"Okay."

"More travel?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took over three hours for the seven of them to reach the bottom of the mountain. There, they took a brief respite and then continued on their quest. They laughed and joked around to lighten the mood a bit. Although reluctant, even Kaiba joined in. But underneath the facade, they were all scared and growing increasingly anxious. Everything they had worked so hard for during the last many weeks, let up to that moment. Now finally, they would get some answers.

It was early morning of the next day when they reached the half way mark to the castle. Everything had been going well. Until they ran into, it.

It, was a mean looking creature who gave a low growl when it spotted them. Its coat glistened in the rays of the oncoming sun and it eyed them hungrily. It was a mountain lion.

Tristen hid behind Kaiba. "Alright Tea, what do we do? You're the one who always takes all of those survival classes. What do you do with a mountain lion? Feed it?"

Tea thought a bit. "No. When you encounter a cougar, you're supposed to use safety tactics. You're not supposed to show fear. You. . must. . .Oh, screw this! Just scare it off somehow. I don't know. Yell at it or something."

"Have Joey tell it a few of his jokes," Kaiba suggested. "That ought to put it to sleep."

"Why you!" Joey snarled.

The mountain lion hissed and raised a lethal paw.

Yugi backed away. "Now is not the time to fight guys."

"Don't reach down for anything," Taleah warned. "That might show weakness. If I remember any of what my father taught me, you're supposed to act big; intimidating. Bending down would make you seem smaller or submissive. So stand tall and start yelling."

"Get outa here!" Joey shouted, waving his arms frenetically.

"Go!" Kury moved his arms in a sweeping motion. 

Yugi stomped his feet. "Shoo! Scat!"

Tea started singing one of her favorite songs. Only, she purposely sang way out of key. The pitch of her notes kept getting higher and higher until everybody stopped what they were doing (including the mountain lion) and stared at her. "Oops. Sorry."

The cougar stood its ground.

Soon, even Kaiba was shouting at the creature, making empty threats. They kicked up dirt and gesticulated wildly. 

  


The cougar, finally seeing it was outnumbered, hissed at them one last time and stalked away. As they watched it leave, they couldn't help but feel satisfied and proud of themselves.

"Tristen, you can stop using me as a human shield."

"Oh yeah. Sorry Kaiba."

The next task was a little more difficult. They had passed through the forests and woods, next came the marshlands and swamps. One such swamp was blocking their path. Which left them no choice but to proceed into its murky depths.

Tea hid behind Tristen. "There's no way I'm wading through that!"

"Guys carry girls?" Joey proposed.

Tea looked like she could have kissed him. "My hero."

Yugi cleared his throat. "Now, lets not get carried away."

"Don't' worry Yugi, I like you too."

Yugi blushed. "I like you also. . .Tea."

"Enough!" Kaiba declared. "You two love birds make me sick. I'll carry Taleah over if she'll let me. Bakura can take the camping gear, Joey can carry Tea, and Tristen. ..you can take Yugi across." Then noticing Yugi's embarrassed expression, he added, "We do not know how deep it is, it could be-"

"Over my height," Yugi finished. "I know. Looks like it's you and me, Tris."

"Personally, I'd like to be carried," Kury tried to make his friend feel better. "You should feel blessed. None of us really want to tread through that swamp."

Joey hoisted Tea onto his back. "All aboard. Welcome da Joey Express. Please keep yar arms an' legs close at all times. Not responsible for any lost or missin' items. Enjoy yar ride. Next stop, clear solid ground!" With that, he plunged into the swamp.

"Joey wait!" Taleah cautioned a bit too late. "We don't know how deep it is."

Joey stayed completely still and sank. And sank. He was now up to his knees in the muck. And still sinking. Yugi was about to jump in after him, when Joey at last stopped. The dark, slimy pool came up to his hips, but no further.

Kaiba swept Taleah into his arms, and descended slowly into the swamp. Then, with a fiery determination, he trudged through the marsh. Step by step. He wasn't going to take the chance of coming across a sink hole.

Protesting the entire time, Tristen slipped in next. Followed by Bakura who held their camping equipment high above his head so it wouldn't get soiled. When all were in, they plodded side by side through the swamp. It was a tedious effort, but they made it across.

Without any further interference, they made their way to the castle. There were no jokes or laughing then. Their faces were grim. Their thoughts, focused on what lay ahead. For in a few minutes, their long journey would come to an end. What was waiting for them inside the massive castle, none could anticipate. They just prayed they'd get their answers and bring down the sorry man who had caused them so much pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Croquet straightened his tie and smoothed down his grey hair. There would be new orders for him. The last job had been difficult enough. It had gotten out of hand. . .But he would make sure there were so such errors this time. His job depended on it, and although he absolutely despised his job, it paid good money. And that was all that he had.

He could barely remember the times when he was so poor that buying a loaf of bread had seemed impossible. What a rotten time that had been back then.

When his wife had gotten pregnant again, he had thought it was all over. There was no away he could afford another mouth to feed. Not that he hadn't wanted the child; it was just the fact that children were too expensive. But his wife hadn't understood him. By the end of the month she had convinced herself that he would have nothing to do with her or her children, and she divorced him. She had full custody of their children. He had lost everything; his lovely wife, his kids, his job. . .his life. There had been nothing left for him.

He had found solace in alcohol. Then one day, after having one drink too many in a bar, he had met a man who said he could change it all around for him. And so he had. Maximilian Pegasus not only gave him a job, car, his very own mansion, and a suit, he gave Croquet his life back. No, a new life. A new job, a new career, a new home, meant a new life. But no new family. He didn't want a new family; he wanted his own one back. Unfortunately, it was the only thing Pegasus couldn't give him.

Croquet turned the corner and walked into the Celebration Room. Pegasus was sitting down reading his favorite comic book series. Just like a kid. But Pegasus was no child.

He glanced up. "Ah! Please do come in Croquet. Ready for your new orders?"

"Yes, sir."

Pegasus took a sip of his wine. "Please tell Kemo that only one of they who approach us may enter the castle."

"Yes, sir. And who might that be, may I ask?"

"Seto Kaiba. I must speak with him privately. Tell Kemo that only Seto Kaiba is allowed admittance."

"Yes, sir."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had reached the five hundred white, luminous steps leading up the castle by around noon. There, they rested and finished the remains of the leftovers from the cafe. Then, they began their ascent. The stairs were steep and spaced far apart, making for a difficult climb with respites every fifty steps. 

Joey wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Ya'd think somebody as rich as Pegasus would put din an elevator or somethin'."

"What's the matter, Joey?" Kaiba challenged. "Too much for you?"

"No way, Kaiba. I'd race ya to da top if I had da."

"You wouldn't win."

"Wanna bet?"

Taleah stepped in-between them. "If you two don't stop it, I'm going to have to slap both of you. You know, like Tea did. Look, we're almost there so stop fighting like you're five year olds."

At the top of the stairs, were two large doors. They were black, intimidating, and virtually impenetrable. Off to the right side was a silver door handle and above it, was a lock with ten star shaped holes embedded in its surface. The doors marked the entry to their enemy's headquarters.

Kemo was stationed by them, standing guard. As usual, he was wearing his dark suit and tie, as well as black sunglasses and the meanest, hardest, look imaginable. When he saw Joey, his look grew meaner.

"Hi Shades."

Kemo straightened his already straight back. "Starchips please."

Yugi and Taleah were about to hand theirs to him, when Joey blocked their way. He crossed his arms and glared at Kemo. "How do we know ya're not just goin' da throw dem off dis cliff as soon as we hand dem to ya?"

"Because I'd lose my job," Kemo replied. "Hand them over, you annoying brat."

"He does tend to grade of people's nerves," Kaiba said.

"Stop it." Taleah handed her starchips to Kemo.

"Good." Kemo accepted her starchips and put them in the star shaped holes. "Ten starchips admits you into the castle. I would suggest that you stand away from the doors as they open; they do tend to have a wide swing."

But the doors didn't have a chance to open inwards, for right then, someone bolted out and closed them behind her. With a sigh of relief, she sank against the doors and put a hand over her heart, trying to calm herself down. It was Mai.

Kemo laughed. "What's the matter? Didn't like our hospitality?"

Mai was in no joking mood. She looked tired and stressed. And extremely frightened. "I-I just barely managed to escape. It was so scary, I-I didn't w-what was happening."

"What was it Mai?" Taleah asked, concerned.

"I don't know. Here's the story: I got to the castle last night. Right away I knew that something was wrong for when I entered, there seemed to be a fight going on. A bad one. I heard. . .voices. Angry voices. But I couldn't quite decipher where they were coming from or of whom they belonged to. Kemo showed me to my room where I took a shower and freshened up. 

"Before I could go to sleep, I heard the voices again. Only this time, I could distinctly make out that one was coming from an old woman. She was having a fit like some beloved piece of jewelry was being taken away from her or something. It sounded like she was in the room a door down from mine. I had put a pillow over my head to block out the noise. I thought that the pillow had been working quite well, until I found that there was no longer any sounds to block out. Complete silence. Knowing that lady's personality and how feisty she sounded, she would never have quieted down unless someone had made her. Then I just took my bags and ran out as quickly as possible fearing for my life. It took me awhile, but I finally found the exit. And here I am."

Yugi nodded, engrossed in Mai's words. "That old lady that you heard must be the owner of the antique shop Bakura called." He turned to his friends. "Pegasus has the Millennium Bowl."

Kury's head hung low. "Which means our time runs short."

"Wait a second!" Tristen cried. "Kemo, didn't you get a set of new orders the day you let us borrow your laptop? Could you tell us what they were?"

Kemo's lips tightened. "I am not required to tell anybody. It is private business and strictly between Pegasus and me. I could not tell you."

"Let me guess, ya'd lose yar job," Joey said, crossly.

"Please!" begged Tea. "We need to know. It is important."

"Orders are orders."

"Why, ya!"

"Joey, don't beat him up! That's not going to get us anywhere."

"Er, sorry."

"Let the little punk try," Kemo derided, jeeringly. "I'm not going to tell."

"This is no game," Yugi said. "Your orders could help us out. They could be an essential part in helping us solve a riddle we've been working on."

"I don't feel like helping anybody."

Mai, seeing their desperation, decided to aid them. "Not even for me?" She walked up to him and stood close, drawing back a few hairs that had fallen over her forehead. "Could you maybe. . .do it for me?" She winked at him.

Kemo turned red, but remained stubborn. "No. Not even for you."

"Are you sure? It would make me so. . .happy. . ."

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"Ya're lucky ya're so sexy," Joey whispered to Mai.

"Not now Joeseph," she whispered back. "He's talking."

Kemo cleared his throat. "My instructions were very strange. I was to prepare a very special dinner for a guest that had, 'come from a long way aways.' Then I was supposed to organize a certain room and find a box lined with velvet. When the helicopter arrived, I was sent away and stationed here to do guard duty. I never saw a woman."

"So he definitely has her Millennium Item," Taleah said, positively. "Which means that he has Two. We have to figure out the rest of the riddle before it's too late. There are only two left."

"Lets enter the castle then," Tea murmured. "Before it's too late."

Just then, a buzzing sound came from the microphone Kemo wore around his head. A man's voice could barely be made out. He was giving Kemo orders. When the man was done speaking, Kemo said, "Understood," and turned to face the crowd at the top of the stairs. "No one is going in. That is, except for Seto Kaiba. Pegasus feels that it is important to speak with you."

"I don't thin' so Shades," Joey protested. "We've come da long way. And besides, ya were about to let us din. What could have happened between den an' now dat ya're refusin' our entry because of?"

"Orders are orders."

Kaiba faced the guard. "Why can't they come in as well, Kemo?"

"Can't tell. But you better go in. Wouldn't want to see Pegasus's bad side."

Yugi was about to object when Kaiba put up a dismissive hand. "I'll go. After, may they come in?"

"If there's anything left of Pegasus when you get through with him, then yes."

Kaiba turned to Taleah. "I'll be back. Wait here." Then he whipped around, his cape billowing about him as he entered the castle, and left them behind

~

Flower Petals: Well thanks for reading! And once again, I apologize for the mistakes. Tartersauce, why did they change the time of Yu Yu Hakusho? Sorry, addicted fan girl.....

Well, as I always demand, EVERYONE WHO READ, REVIEW! IT WOULD MAKE ME SOOOO MUCH HAPPIER! HAPPIER THEN BEING IN THE BACK OF A LIMO EATING WHOPPERS!!!

Oh, and I completely forgot about this, but I wanted you guys to know ahead of time..............the next chapter is 55 pages long!!!!! And I've decided to keep it all 55 pages! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Just kidding......^^

Are you even allowed to have a 55 page chapter at ff.net? Hmm, I wonder. . . . . . . 


	16. Power of Three

Flower Petals: Well, hya peoples!!!!!!!! Sorry it's been so long, but just recently I've actually been able to go on the computer to type but unfortunately, I type about as fast as my sister thinks-

Taleah: HEY!

Flower Petals: -so, well you get the point.......But here's the next chapter! Oh, and I have to warn you....there might be a few spelling mistakes for two reasons.

1. Mom just got my father this certain stretcher like thing where you can lay on it and slide under cars to work on them, and he loves it SO much, he's been rolling around on it in the room I'm typing in right now. Which is distracting in itself, but when you have a cat viciously attacking him, well let's just say, it's much more amusing than finding silly mistakes...

2. Yu Yu Hakusho is on right now!!!! AND IT'S ABOUT HIEI!!!!!!!! Sorry peoples, but it's a bit hard to concentrate on correcting your mistakes when the love of your life is killing people with his sword and third eye! Jeez, that happened last time I was typing too......

Thank you all for being so supportive! It was a real pleasure reading the reviews you submitted. My UNENDING thank you's go out to..........

Peace Writer: I've sorry you've been so tired recently. _ Eat sugar though, it really helps! ^^ Oh, and since you ALWAYS complain about my pitiful duels, I rewrote this entire chapter for you! (It wasn't actually going to have a duel, but I thought it would be fun to write). So I hope you enjoy! 

Tamara Raymond: Wow, thank you for all those wonderful compliments! You are too kind.....And thank you SO much for putting me on your favorite list! It's a real honor being the authoress of the first serious fic on your favorite list. ^^ And interesting, you liked how I originally spelled "Tea"? No one's ever told me that before.......Well thank you again for reviewing! And I hope you continue to enjoy reading my story. ^-^

Sakurelle: So you like that line, "Maybe you kiss too damn slow,"? I'm sooooo happy!!!! Oh, and sorry for making Crimson jealous.....^_^; And don't worry Crimson, in real life, Taleah is of now, totally obsessed with Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho, so all you have to do is fight the other millions of fan girls totally obsessed with Kaiba! 

Misura: Well, actually, I don't know if Croquet is a good guy or not. Mostly, because he didn't have a big part in the episodes, and where I'm from the manga is NO where NEAR getting that far ahead yet. But I thought it would be kinda cool to make him at least _semi-_decent anyway and create a past for him. I don't know....I have a thing for unpopular characters...Hence my fascination with Rishid and Shadi........And so you noticed the sinister ending of the previous chapter? Well, it's goin'a get soooo much worse! Bwahahahahahahahaha! Erm, yeah...Thanks for reviewing!

Nari: Jeez Nari, thank you for the cake! And since you were gracious enough to let me pick the flavor, I think I'll have it half an ice cream/German chocolate/strawberry cake with lemon glazing and half a chocolate lover's chocolate fudge supreme with TONS of chocolate chips and chocolate sprinkles!!!! Awrighty, I'm a bit sick, aren't I? But that's what cake I'd luv to eat!!! Thank you for reviewing, and for the cake! And thank your yami too for me! (She's going to kill me, but I forgot her name again......) 

Mina: Are you kidding me?! I LUV getting long reviews! So don't worry about nothin'. And it's always nice hearing from ya. ^^ Thank you for reviewing!

Mamono: Hi pal! ^^ Sorry I haven't been able to read any of your great stories lately.....*sad face* I miss them.....But I will whenever I get past this I-can-only-go-on-the-net twice a week thing. Thank you for reviewing!

TAB: OH MY TARTARSAUCE!!! I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING: MY SISTER DIDN'T REVIEW THE LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU TALEAH?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY _SISTER!!!!! _*huffs and puffs, then runs off to hunt down her sister*

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and even if I could own somethingit would be an ice cream parlor! Yay! I LUV ice cream!!! __

_Flower Petals_

_Power of Three_

Beyond the doors was an entry hall that consisted of gorgeous dark wood and fantastic paintings of various things. Beautifully designed rooms were spaced every few feet along the attractive hall. It was an exquisite place, but it lacked the sense of humbleness and modesty that the other castle had exhibited. This one felt empty. Unfulfilled. As if there was something missing.

Kaiba walked as calmly as he could to the main hall and through the large wooden doors into the "Celebration Room." He knew the place well, having been there many times. Before the ordeal of his brother being kidnaped, and his company turning on him, he had considered Pegasus an associate. He had always known what kind of person Pegasus was, but that hadn't stopped him from making deals and compromises with the man. Now though, Kaiba could look back and see what a fatal error that had been.

Pegasus was waiting for him in his usual red tuxedo, and welcoming stance. In that light, Pegasus didn't look at all wicked or evil. Much less capable of the vile deeds he had committed against so many people. He looked charming and innocuous.

"What have you done with my brother?" Kaiba demanded, slamming the wooden doors closed behind him. "Where is he?"

"What? No 'how are you' or 'good to see you'?" Pegasus drawled. "I thought we were _friends_, Kaibaboy. Calm down. Your brother is fine."

"Bring him to me."

"That impatient are you?"

"Now. I have no time for your games."

"Ah, Kaiba means business. Very well. We'll discuss this like business men would. I will let you have your brother back on one stipulation. Ready Kaiba?" He pressed a button on a control pad and a large computer screen came down from the ceiling. It was blank at first, but then it began to contort itself until a little body covered in dirt could be seen, sitting in a cell in the dimmest of dungeons. 

Kaiba felt his knees begin to weaken. He couldn't take his eyes of the monitor and the sad figure it was showing. All his composure and self-control left him. He felt hopeless. "I'll do anything."

"Good." Pegasus's tone had become very hard. "Defeat Yugi in a duel. Then all your requests will be taken care of."

Kaiba was taken back. "What is it to you? Knowing you, there's something in it for yourself. How would you benefit by having me duel Yugi?"

"It's really none of your business, Kaibaboy," Pegasus said sharply. Too sharply. "Just do it. Or else, Mokuba will have the great pleasure of staying here with me."

"You are a sick, demented man."

"Do I sense antipathy?"

"I won't duel Yugi."

"You must, for I'll leave you no choice. Yugi must be defeated in order for me to obtain what I want from him. And I _always_ find ways of getting what I want. Don't you lose, Kaibaboy. Don't you lose."

"You conniving snake! I will do no such thing! I am one person you're not going to manipulate into doing your sick deeds for you. Find someone else." He looked at the screen. "I'm not leaving until I get my brother back. No matter what it takes."

Pegasus's one visible eye narrowed. "Don't be stupid Kaiba. In my castle, in my island, in my realm, the only one who makes threats. . .is _me_. Do as I demand or else your little brother may find his accommodations in this place a bit. . .hostile."

"You wouldn't-"

"I would. You know I would. Now then, if you have that much objection to dueling Yugi, how about a different duelist? Say Taleah, perhaps?"

"Leave her out of this," Kaiba said through clenched teeth.

"No? Well it's either her or Yugi."

Kaiba opened his mouth, then shut it. If he didn't duel Yugi, Pegasus would hurt Kiddo. And he couldn't duel Taleah; he just couldn't. It left him no other choice: Kiddo's life was in danger. He had to play Pegasus's twisted game. "I'll duel Yugi."

"Brilliant my dear boy." Pegasus looked proud. "Just brilliant. I'll have Croquet set up your arena. 

"Oh, and by the way, I have found where you had been hiding that briefcase of yours. Thought you were so smart to leave it in that helicopter. Don't worry," he added as he saw Kaiba's furious expression, "I only made a slight change. Something I think you might take to your liking. You will duel using it. And make sure that Yugi understands when he loses, he is not allowed to compete in this tournament any more." 

Pegasus took a sip from his wine glass. "Brilliant."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"_Four came close dagether in the very end," _Joey recited. "Okay, I'm still confused. Am I supposed da have da sixth Millennium Item or somethin'?"

Mai stared at him. "If they're supposed to make you smarter, then no, hon."

They were all sitting at the top of the stairs, (with the exception of Joey who was sitting balanced on the banister) trying to solve the riddle. Even Kemo , who had nothing else to do, joined in.

"So what do you do in your spare time when you're not dreamin' about runnin' your own café?" Joey asked Kemo.

"Er, my job doesn't allow me to have a lot of free time," Kemo answered.

"Come on, tell."

"Write out plot maps of my dream location to put the cafe. I like to imagine the customers and their faces when the taste the best mochas they've ever had." Kemo's eyes told them that he was far away in his own world. "Then of course, I like to play Nintendo, Game Cube, Play Station. You know."

"Cool," Joey said. "Ever play _Spyro_?"

"Yes, but I've never made it past the first few levels."

"Oh man, I've beat da game. Maybe I could show ya how da get past wherever yar stuck at, an' give ya da few pointers."

"That would be great."

"Den maybe we coul' try out-"

"Stop!" Kury exclaimed. "You're supposed to be working on figuring out this riddle, not talking about some Nintendo game."

"Play Station," Kemo and Joey said, simultaneously.

"The riddle please," Taleah reminded, exacerbated.

"Maybe a member of your family has one," Mai suggested. "Like a parent or something."

"But based on the rhyme, the Item would have to be a ring, stone, puzzle, piece of jewelry, or bowl," Bakura thought out loud. "I don't believe any of our parents have something like that. That is ancient and powerful, anyway."

"Kury's right," Taleah agreed. "None of our families would have a Millennium Item. There must be something else. Something that we haven't thought up yet."

Tristen shuddered. "What would happen if Pegasus was able to assemble all seven Millennium Items?"

"Complete chaos," Kury answered. "Trust me, I know. He'd gain unthinkable power. There would be nothing he couldn't do. People would fall before his great strength. He'd unleash Armageddon upon the world."

"Isn't that just a myth?" Tea countered. "And if he had all seven Millennium Items, well...I thought they just contained souls. Not destructive power."

"True," Yugi acceded, "they do hold souls, but magic is what keeps them there. I don't know exactly how or why, but it was believed long ago that the more souls one had, the stronger he became." He gripped his puzzle. "We can't let Pegasus get them all. I'd die before I'd let him take my puzzle."

"I'd die if you died," Tea said, crying.

"I'd die if any of you died," Bakura said.

Taleah wiped the tears from her eyes. "Then I guess, we may all die."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Cry babies. Right Kemo? Kemo!"

Kemo was crying also; big tears rolled down his face and made wet splotches on the limestone.

Quite suddenly, a bright object appeared around Bakura's neck. It glowed brilliantly, emanating a golden shine painful to look upon. Then, as if being sucked away, the light fled the item and disappeared entirely. Only one trace of the magnificence remained, and that was in one of the many pointers that hung from a grand ring. Instead of the others surrounding it, lying dormant in an inactive state of rest, that one pointer stuck out defiantly in a bath of golden radiance. It was aimed right at the castle itself, as if it was able to pierce through the thick walls with impeccable vision and perceive a scene that may or may not have been occurring that very moment.

"Quite an interesting item, I should say," Mai mused. "Wait, don't tell me. It's a Millennium Item, correct?"

Bakura blushed. "Yes, that would be right. It appears I have the lost the ability to surreptitiously mask its presence. But I guess there is no need to hide its existence now."

"Don't you think it's a little weird how it points like that?" Tristen inquired, edging away. "Has it done that before? And more importantly, what exactly is it pointing at?"

"The castle," Bakura said irrelevantly.

"Not exactly," Yugi countered. "It's pointing at what's _inside_ the castle. I've noticed before that your item responds oddly to other Millennium Items. Or mine and Taleah's, anyway. If we are correct in guessing that Pegasus owns one also, then I bet my dueling glove and all the starchips I've accumulated, that your ring is somehow able to zone in on his Millennium Item. Whatever it may be."

"If dat's so, den we coul' use Bakura an' his strange object da find da others," Joey proposed.

"Maybe." Kury glanced down at his Millennium Ring. "Maybe."

There was a great cacophony of noise as metal scraped against old, rust metal, and hardened links of chains once again began their oh so familiar cycle. The doors of the castle were being opened.

A tall figure that looked angry, but ever so proud, stepped forth and flung back a cape that soared as it caught the wind. The figure faced the company sitting in wait on the uppermost flight of steps, eyes focused on one person alone: Yugi.

The company on the steps were all taken by surprise. But their astonishment only lasted a moment before they sprang to their feet, avid for answers.

Kaiba never once took his gaze off from Yugi. "I have a proposition for you Muto. A proposition that I believe you'll find much to your dislike. Well, huh! Not a proposal really, for in the end, I'll leave you no choice but to accept what I have in mind."

"Stop this Kaiba!" Taleah demanded. "We have waited long enough. Now explain yourself, or else we'll go into the castle without any helpful information you may have gathered."

"That is not possible," contradicted Kaiba. "For I will not allow you to enter this castle until-" There was a pause-"Until Yugi faces me in a duel. If he should lose, he'd be disqualified from this competition."

If Yugi was surprised before, it was nothing compared to his sudden wonder and amazement then. "Duel you? Kaiba, I don't have to! I have earned the right to proceed into this massive structure. I am relieved of any dueling for now. Until the championships, anyway. I refuse your offer."

"It wasn't an offer."

"Step aside, Kaiba!" exclaimed Joey. "Yugi won't duel ya. We haven't come all dis way for ya da turn on us. Now dat ya're through wit' him, Pegasus dis ours now. Sa step aside."

"I won't let you pass," Kaiba said simply, with a shrug of his shoulders.

Taleah stared at him in disbelief. Surely this wasn't the same Kaiba that she had known almost all her life and just spent the last few days with. He was different, almost as if his little trip inside the castle had made him a different person. To Taleah, he sure seemed like he was. There was a certain coldness about him that made him seem very arrogant and ruthless. And he acted as if she and her friends were opponents; enemies, that hindered his priories, rather than his friends. Taleah was suddenly aware that she did not know that man. He was a stranger. Not the Kaiba who cared so much about his little brother. Not the Kaiba she had come to know well over the years. Not like Kaiba at all.

And there he stood in front of them all, with a very complacent look upon his face that portrayed both pleasure and self-satisfaction. "None of you can get by me until after I duel Yugi. That is Muto, if you're man enough."

"This is folly!" Tea claimed. "It lacks good sense, or any sense at all for that matter, and is a perfect example of adolescent foolishness! Yugi doesn't have to battle you, Seto Kaiba, so get out of our way. Joey's right, we didn't come all this way so you could block us from out destination. We're going in and that's that."

"No. You may not enter; give me what I want first."

"Why are you doing this?" Bakura questioned. "Surely there is no need for you two to duel. We're on the same side here, are we not? Let us all go into together and face Pegasus once and for all."

"You're not going anywhere," Kaiba insisted. "I have too much counting on my victory. It is the only way to get my brother back."

Yugi understood now. "So Pegasus has found a way to manipulate you. I wish I could help you rescue Mokuba, but unfortunately, I cannot. For I would also duel with the fate of a loved one at stake."

"If Yugi shoul' lose-sorry buddy-den he'd not only lose any hopes of savin' his grandfather, but he'd also lose dis Millennium Puzzle!" Joey remarked. "And dat coul' be disastrous."

Kaiba put up a hand. "Please spare me. I have no wish to learn about such items. My concern-" he turned to Yugi, "-is with dueling."

Tristen tugged at Kemo's suit sleeve. "Kemo! You're the guard here. You're the one who decides who goes in and out. Tell that creep to leave us alone!"

"I can't." Kemo ran a hand through his slick, dark hair. "If Kaiba has orders to duel your friend here, I could not go against them. I am not in command. But I do suggest this: duel him. And get it over with. 'Cause he sure ain't goin' to let you enter the castle otherwise."

"But Yugi can't duel Kaiba!" Tristen protested. "Kaiba is one of the world's greatest duelists. This is Yugi's first tournament! Correct me if I'm wrong, but he's never faced a duelist with as much experience as Kaiba has."

Joey turned to face his friend. "Are ya sayin' he'd lose, Tris? Yugi is da great duelist. So wha' if Kaiba has more titles? Yugi's still goin' da mop da floor wit' him."

"Kaiba is a world class competitor," Mai warned. "I wouldn't be so sure about the outcome of their duel."

Kaiba cast a sapphire eye in her direction. "Ah! Mai Valentine. We meet again. It's been awhile has it not? I wish we could have met under different circumstances. Less antagonistic, that is."

Mai spat in distaste. "I wish we could have never met. My humiliating defeat was enough to make me wish to never see your face again, let alone be in your company. I wasn't paying you a compliment you egotistical bastard, I was simply advising a better course of action to my friend here."

"A better course of action that you think he'll take?" Kaiba inquired.

Joey ignored him. "Well I say, go Yugi!"

"Take him pal," urged Tristen.

"He doesn't have much of a choice," Bakura murmured.

"If they're dueling, I'm watchin'," Kemo said. He crossed his massive arms, and waited impatiently for Yugi to reply. They were all waiting.

Taleah's heart ached in pain as she stared at Yugi. He seemed torn between two paths, struggling desperately to come to a decision. He was there to save his grandfather and also to keep Pegasus from amassing the last pieces of the puzzle; the last two Millennium Items. But he could not do either if his entry to the castle was being forbidden. If he lost to Kaiba, the results would be so terrible, so severe, that Taleah did not even want to think that dreadful thought. He'd just have to win. "You can do it Yugi," she whispered.

Yugi's head bowed as he finally came to a decision. He muttered something inaudible under his breath, glanced at his dueling glove, then focused his gaze upon Seto Kaiba, eyes burning with intense emotion.

"Do you accept my challenge?" Kaiba gestured towards the castle. "Defeat me, and you may enter. Lose, and well, we shall see. So what will it be, Muto?"

Plower bled from Yugi's Puzzle and poured into his soul. He was no longer just Yugi, for the presence had returned. Stronger than ever. He felt powerful, and in charge. The presence completed him and filled up the areas of which he had been lacking. He was more than he ever thought he could be.

Yu-Gi-Oh faced Kaiba with effrontery and surprising confidence. "I accept your challenge."

Kaiba looked pleased. "Our dueling field has already been arranged, follow me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Night had arrived quite suddenly, and with it, an icy breeze that gave them all chills. The last rays of sunshine were strewn askew the sky, almost completely masked by the intimidating clouds which swiftly approached. An eerie light seemed to emanate from the overcast sky. It was a strange sort of radiance that was as beautiful as it was mysterious.

The dueling field was no more then a shelfish projection shaped like an hourglass, looking over an abrupt cliff. It consisted of two circular nooks, one on either side of a long, fat, open surface that lay in-between. The whole area was made up tightly compacted bricks that had long ago lost their original color. The makeshift arena was positioned on the eastern most corner of the castle overlooking the sea.

Yu-Gi-Oh and his comrades followed Kaiba to that place. Each, silent, absorbed in their own thoughts. It was not a time for talk, Yu-Gi-Oh felt. It was a time for decisive action. He reminisced upon all his grandfather's words of wisdom. How he wished the old man could be with him now, telling him how horribly wrong his decision to duel Kaiba was. But his grandfather was off somewhere unknown, and Yu-Gi-Oh could not take back what he had decided. The duel was to take place. And there was nothing he could do to change that.

_Face whatever your future holds for you with open arms, _a voice told him. _What is meant to happen will come to pass. Accept your destiny, Yugi Muto._

_ What if I can't win? _Yugi found himself asking the voice much to his own surprise. It was the first time he had ever spoken to it; before he had only accepted its advice. Now, he felt foolish speaking with himself. But then again, he wasn't; the presence was sharing his mind. _If I win, Mokuba would be kept prisoner, but I would be safe to continue on my quest. If I should lose, my grandfather and my puzzle would be taken away. How fair is that?_

There was a brief pause before the voice answered, _It is not fair. Life is never fair. It is made up of choices of which are extremely important and effect our lives daily, as well as our futures. Life is full of losses and sorrow. But sometimes, we have to lose in order to gain. So no, it is not fair that people's lives are being waged on the outcome of a single duel. If you lose, then yes, Mokuba will be saved. Because your grandfather was not supposed to be rescued._

_ He deserves to be! _Yugi cried. He felt his eyes begin to water, and quickly wiped away the tears in shame. _He deserves to be saved._

_ And Mokuba doesn't? _asked the voice.

_I'm sorry, _Yugi apologized. _I didn't mean it that way. It's just that Grandpa is a good man and a wonderful person. He didn't deserve to be kidnaped. It's all because of me that he was._

_ Don't blame yourself, _scolded the voice. _He was meant be taken away just as you were meant to go on this journey. You have learned a lot, have you not? You have become aware of things you would have never before. You are wiser because of it. There is always a reason for everything that occurs._

_ But who am I to gamble with people's lives?_

_ You are Yugi Muto, proud owner of the Millennium Puzzle and faithful believer in the Heart of the Cards. That is who you are. As for the gambling part, you must, in order to save the lives you are risking. You are simply playing the hand you were dealt. Think of all the lives that would be lost if you didn't take that risk. Mull over that, will you?_

_ It just seems so wrong, _Yugi insisted. _I don't want Kaiba to lose his brother, and I don't want to lose Grandpa and my puzzle and I don't want to win the duel, or lose either, and I don't want to face Kaiba, and I don't really want to confront Pegasus, and. . .and. . ._

_ You want everything back to normal, _the voice concluded. _The way it was. Don't give up Yugi. Not when there are better times ahead. You have stumbled across a rough path. A dark tunnel. Remember your grandfather's words: There is always light at the end of the cave. How are you going to reach the light, if you do not enter the tunnel? Don't give up now. You will only regret it later. Face the dark cave. Reach the light._

_ I don't think I can do it, _Yugi admitted.

_Do it. Do it for your grandfather. Do it for you parents. Do it for Tea and the rest of your friends. If that isn't motivation enough, do it for yourself. You always put the cares of other people in front of your own. Do this one thing for you. Do it to prove yourself. Do it just so you can show yourself what you have accomplished. Do it. There is light at the end of the tunnel, Yugi._

_ What about Mokuba?_

_ There are plans for him as well. They might not include Seto Kaiba's victory. Remember, what is meant to happen is meant to happen. Don't blame yourself for something that is destined to occur. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Reach it. _And with that, the voice ceased to speak.

Kaiab strode over to the right side of the playing field where a silver briefcase stood in wait. Dropping to one knee, he quickly released a lock and a few latches, opened it up, and flung one of its contents at Yu-Gi-Oh who caught it just as it was about to sail over his head.

"You mock my height?"

"Never," refused Kaiba. "Why would I do such a thing when I know of better ways of crushing spirits? But anyway, we'll use my duel disc system. Insert your shuffled deck into the card recognizer. Life points automatically set to two thousand."

Yu-Gi-Oh rested a hand on his deck, feeling the power surge underneath. "Alright. Are you ready to duel Kaiba?"

"This is it, Yugi. Whoever wins, faces Pegasus, and whoever loses. . .well, you'll be left a broken man."

"Ya're goin' down Moneybags!" Joey claimed. "Yugi won't lose."

"I sure hope you're right," Bakura said as he stood by his friends, ready to observe the match. "I sure hope you're right."

"We'll see who gets broken Kaiba," Yu-Gi-Oh countered. "I will defeat you and gain admission into the castle. You shall not win."

Kaiba gritted his teeth. "Stand back and prepare." He whipped out his dueling disc. "I play Ryu-Kishin in attack mode!"

An array of dazzling light became visible on the dimly lit dueling field. They sparkled and shined while slowly transforming into the creature that had been called upon. A fiend the color of a red rose appeared and let out a throaty roar. It stood hunched over as if carrying something burdensome on its back and had sharp talons, making it quite a worthy opponent.

Four enormous Duel Monster cards spread around Kaiba. They looked as real and as life-like as Ryu-Kishin and sat hung in mid air high above even Kaiba's head. Only he could identify the cards, for everyone else could only see the back of them.

"Dey must be holograms too," Joey thought out loud. "Though dey sure look pretty real. Shame we can't see wha' dey are."

Yu-Gi-Oh placed a card on the digital card reader. "On you guard, I play Curse of Dragon in attack mode!"

A fantastic winged beast appeared, its yellow scales reflecting what little sunshine still shone. It stretched its mighty wings and lifted its proud head high into the air. The dragon was magnificent. It took one's breath away just to stare at it.

"Ha! Well done," Kaiba complimented. "A formidable card, Muto. And a play I would expect from a duelist if your caliber."

"Don't patronize me," Yu-Gi-Oh spat.

Kaiba blinked, innocently. "I know from hearing about and observing you that you're a talented duelist. But you're just not as good as I."

"Wrong," Yu-Gi-Oh opposed.

"Then attack and find out," Kaiba challenged. "What's the matter, Muto? No faith in your monster?"

"You'll see." Yu-Gi-Oh clenched his fists. "He's mightier than yours. Go Curse of Dragon! Attack Ryu-Kishin with Dragon Flame!"

Ryu-Kishin succumbed to Curse of Dragon's attack and disappeared in a flash of tiny, twinkling lights.

"There," Yu-Gi-Oh said, satisfied. "Ryu-Kishin is no more."

"Ha!" Kaiba scoffed. "You're good, but ever so predictable. Don't you think I expected that attack? You've played right into my trap, Muto."

"He's bluffin'," Joey claimed. "Yugi has ya on da ropes, Kaiba."

Kaiba payed the blonde no attention. "I play Sword Stalker! Sword Stalker gathers the life force of a fallen ally, raising its own attack by twenty percent. Watch."

Sword Stalker: 2400

Curse of Dragon: 2000

"Attack now, Sword Stalker! Vengeance Strike!"

Sword Stalker was a dark and frightening beast that could arouse fear in the most fearless of men. It resembled something one might see in the worst of their dreams, or come across at dark after, for it was as powerful as it was hideous. The stealthy warrior raised its putrid sword of which stank of lost lives and passed souls, and brought it down upon Curse of Dragon with celerity. But just as the sword was about to sink into its target, its victim vanished.

Kaiba was appalled. "What? The Curse of Dragon disappeared!"

"That's because I played a Monster Replace magic card on the field," Yu-Gi-Oh replied. "This card switches the monster on the field with the monster in my hand with the highest attack power." Hi grinned. "And you know what that means: the creature with the greatest attack power in my hand is Dark Magician. Dark Magic Attack!"

In a spectacular display of intense light, a mystic Spellcaster dressed in dark purple robes erupted from the dueling disc and bore its great staff upon Sword Stalker. The distasteful warrior shrieked as the attack hit, and it was thus, destroyed.

Kaiba: 1500

Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000

"Your repugnant creature was vanquished," Yu-Gi-Oh stated as he placed a card upon his dueling disc and whipped it back out into play. "Now I can replay Curse of Dragon in attack mode. Your turn Kaiba."

Kaiba angrily jerked at the line attached to his device and caught it as it returned to him. "I'll take on your magic with a magician of my own. I play La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp. My wish is his command."

A supernatural creature, one of mediocre power levels, appeared on the makeshift arena and crossed his green, almost transparent arms.

_I wonder why he played that card, _Yu-Gi-Oh thought to himself. _Its weaker than any of my monsters. Oh well. I guess I'll find out. _"Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"

"Your attack activates my trap!" Kaiba folded his arms. "The Ancient Lamp. First, it protects my genie by dragging him into the lamp. Then, the lamp deflects your attack aiming it at your monster which lowers your score to mine. Reflect upon the incredible powers of my Ancient Lamp."

Kaiba: 1500

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1500

Yu-Gi-Oh stared blankly at the golden lamp that now held Kaiba's genie. It had directed his Dark Magician's attack back at Curse of Dragon, destroying it. _Good move. I should not have underestimated you, Seto Kaiba. _"My deflected attack may have destroyed my dragon, but I still have the Dark Magician. Kaiba, for all your bragging, the score is tied. We are evenly matched."

Kaiba did not reply.

"This is way too intense," Tristen remarked. He shuddered and stepped behind Taleah who put an encouraging hand on his shoulder.

"He'll beat Kaiba," she said. "He'll win."

Joey wrinkled his nose. "I'd like da beat Kaiba."

Mai glanced at him. "You would too."

"Ya bet I woul'."

Yu-Gi-Oh was confused. _Kaiba is trying to finish me off as quickly as possible. And that's not like him. I've watched him duel before in the Nationals and everything. He enjoys toying with his opponents almost as much as he loves winning. This time though, he's all business._

"What's the matter, Muto?" Kaiba gibed. "You look worried. Finally realizing you don't stand a chance against me?"

"I will defeat you Kaiba."

The Challenger drew his next card. A smug sort of smile played upon his lips. "If I keep drawing cards like this, you won't. I arm my genie with the De-Spell card. The De-Spell can dis-activate any magic card. And that's a loss I'm quite sure you can't afford. La Jinn my genie of the lamp, activate De-Spell!"

Yu-Gi-Oh tensed. "Oh no! My cards!"

A mass of rainbow colors and lights shot from the fiend's green hands and struck one of Yu-Gi-Oh's oversized Duel Monster cards. It immediately brightened upon impact and turned around, revealing itself. 

Kaiba crossed his arms, satisfied. "De-Spell has destroyed your Swords of Revealing Light. That's a tough loss, Muto. Your Swords could have paralyzed my monsters for three turns. But I guess you'll just lose three turns sooner."

"Huh! Don't count on it Kaiba."

"That genie is big trouble," Bakura said to his friends. "As long as he as the lamp protecting him, Yugi can't attack him."

Tea fixed her eyes on Yu-Gi-Oh. "Is there any way to destroy it?"

_This card might do the trick, _Yu-Gi-Oh thought to himself as he drew the top card from the card recognition slot. _The Mystic Box. It might be just the magic card I need to evict La Jinn from his Ancient Lamp. _"But first, I call upon the Dark Magician!"

"I'm surprised you'd put your Magician at risk," Kaiba muttered, "when you have no idea what I have in store for you."

Yu-Gi-Oh smiled. "Then before I attack, I should see what you're planning for myself."

"What?!"

"Behold the Eye of Truth. So called because the Eye of Truth knows all, sees all. And it will reveal every card in your hand."

Kaiba unfolded his arms and took a step back, utterly taken by surprise.

His cards rotated in the air, revealing their identities. On the far right was the De-Spell card with its picture of a severed lock expelling a dangerous magic. The next card portrayed a portrait of a sinister, ominous looking, deformed clown with a star over one eye and a crescent moon shading its entire face. The second to last was the Ancient Lamp card. And the very last, was the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"What's this?" Yu-Gi-Oh asked himself, out loud. "You have a Blue Eyes White Dragon in your hand, but you haven't played it?!"

Joey snorted. "Ya can always count on Kaiba da have da Blue Eyes White Dragon or t'ree up his sneaky, slimy sleeves."

"He sure loves his Blue Eyes," Tristen agreed.

Bakura fingered his Ring. "Three Blue Eyes White Dragons? Why, that's got to be nearly impossible to beat!"

"He'll do it." Tea cleared her throat so she could speak more clearly and with more conviction. "He'll do it."

"I wouldn't sound that positive," Kemo cautioned. "I've known Kaiba for a long time, he's good."

"Well so is Yugi," Tea said, defensively.

"So Muto, the mundane magic of your wimpy Eye of Truth allowed you a sneak peak of my hand." Kaiba had regained his composure. "But what good does that do you? The fact still remains that your Dark Magician can't do anything against my genie, La Jinn. Not while he has his lamp protecting him."

"Then I'll extinguish it!" Yu-Gi-Oh cried. "Through the magic of my Mystic Box! Now watch Kaiba, as first, my Dark Magician is sealed within the box,."

"A trick!" Kaiba accused.

"It's much more than a mere trick, as you'll soon find out," Yu-Gi-Oh replied. "Now watch as the mystic Box is skewered by swords raining from the sky. But have I destroyed my own Magician? Or have I magically extinguished your Ancient Lamp just as I promised?"

The holographic Mystic Box appeared to disclose Kaiba's Ancient Lamp card, penetrated by hundreds of swords.

"The magic's only half done, Kaiba," Yu-Gi-Oh warned. "For my Dark Magician emerges from another Mystic Box unharmed." No sooner had he spoken those words, when a new box covered in question marks materialized beside the original one. The Dark Magician exited and shook a long, narrow finger at Kaiba.

"But how?" asked a very astonished Kaiba.

"You know a good magician never reveals his secrets. Now Dark Magician, use your Dark Magic Attack!"

The defenseless La Jinn would only watch helplessly as the great green staff aimed at him and let loose a deadly sort of magic that brought his short life to an abrupt end.

Kaiba: 800

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1500

"It's just like you said, Kaiba; the Ancient Lamp may have protected La Jinn, but once it was destroyed, your genie was no match for my Dark Magician."

"You're little magic show was entertaining," Kaiba remarked, "but let's not loose perspective, mmm? You know I have a Blue Eyes waiting in the wing, and I know you have nothing that can stand against it."

"You know nothing," Yu-Gi-Oh declared. "The Eye of Truth showed me your hand, not the other way around."

"I don't need to see your hand," Kaiba hissed, contemptibly. "But I think you need to be taught a lesson. And I'll be thrilled to make my next play _painfully _instructive. Behold Saggi, the Dark Clown!"

Yu-Gi-Oh stared at the ghastly clown with amazement. _Saggi the Dark Clown? I was expecting him to sink his Blue Eyes White Dragon on me. He knows Saggi is no match for my Dark Magician. What's he up to? He didn't have any trap cards earlier when I got a look at his hand. But he might have drawn some by now. The only way to know for sure, is to attack. But I dare not risk my Dark Magician. _"Dark Magician, return!"

The powerful Spellcaster disappeared, seemingly back into the dueling device and with it, the holographic images of the giant sized Duel Monster cards surrounding Yu-Gi-Oh. The only hologram left on the field was Saggi, who chuckled wickedly to himself as he did a somersault while levitating in the air.

Yu-Gi-Oh slid another card off from his dueling deck. _Alright! Gaia the Fierce Knight. Saggi won't stand a chance against him. _"Gaia, in attack mode."

A brave and honorable knight on his trusty steed, stampeded from the dueling disc and towards his opponent. His battle-charge was a force to be reckoned with, for his horse traveled faster than the wind, carrying him closer to Saggi every eighth of a second. He lowered his spear and plunged it into the ugly clown with needle like precision. Saggi cried out in despair as he broke apart into many pieces and slowly dissipated into nothingness.

"Your Dark Clown has been vanquished!"

Kaiba was unfazed. "Vanquished and sacrificed are two very different things. Look again!"

Yu-Gi-Oh watched in horror as his Fierce Knight flickered out of sight and then appeared, only to disappear again. Each time, gradually fading. Soon, there would be nothing left.

"No! What's happening? Gaia!"

Gaia was no more. His horse's shrill whinny still rang in everyone's ears.

"And not just Gaia, Muto," Kaiba announced.

One of Yu-Gi-Oh's holographic cards started to fade. "My Dark Magician! What have you done Kaiba?!"

"It's quite ingenious, actually. Knowing you couldn't resist attacking my Dark Clown, I infected him with a Crush Card virus."

"Crush Card?"

"By destroying the infected Saggi, you released the Crush Card virus. A virus so highly contagious to Duel Monsters, that as I speak these words, it is infecting all but the weakest cards in your precious dueling deck."

"No!"

Kaiba threw his head back and laughed, much to everyone else's surprise. But it wasn't a merry chuckle. It was a cold laugh that foretold of victory and self-satisfaction. And it made all listeners, shiver just to hear it. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Muto, the monsters unaffected by the Crush Card virus are those with an attack power below fifteen hundred." 

His eyes glittered with a dark pleasure. "Looks like I've broken your Heart of the Cards, Muto."

~

Flower Petals: Whew, long chapter I know! But thank you all for bearing through it. ^^

And please review! It always makes me happy when I get reviews. *shoots a death glare at sister*

Taleah: *gulps* Uh....I forgot???

Flower Petals: NOTHING WILL SAVE YOU NOW!!!!!

Taleah: EEEEEeeeeek! Uh, Flower Petals, Hiei is on Yu Yu Hakusho right now and he's killing people with his katana! 

Flower Petals: *drops the hammer and scrambles off towards the TV*

Taleah: Geesh, that was close......*wink* Until next time! 

Flower Petals: TALEAH, HIEI IS NOT ON!!!!!!!! IT'S ABOUT UGLY KUWABARA!!!!!

Taleah: Oh no! *runs and hides under Flower Petal's bed* She'll never be able to find me under here. Hey, is this my Kurama doll? *gets up and confronts Flower Petals* Sister, is this my Kurama doll?!!!!!

Flower Petals: *gulps* 


	17. Power of Three Part 2

Flower Petals:Here's the deal....you guys are not going to believe this story...

I'm sooooo sorry!!!!! I actually intended to upload this chapter many, MANY weeks ago. And in fact, had it typed up, but my computer acquired a nasty virus that got its stinkin' self embedded in my hard drive, so the computer fixer upper dudes had to delete EVERYTHING even my email and my computer's ability to connect to the internet!!!

When I finally got everything back in order, I discovered of course, this file was deleted, so I typed it up again. But then the computer did something funky and deleted it. The third time I typed it up, the computer shut down and it turned out, it saved this chapter to a backup file, but half of it was deleted, so I typed it up for a _4th _time. Then my tartarsauce computer decided out of the blue to delete this file again! So this is the 5TH time I've typed it up.

I'm really sorry for any mistakes that might be in this chapter, and I'm also sorry but after all the times I typed this stupid chapter up, I forgot all the improvements and slight nuances I had originally added. But ah, well....

*sighs*

Anygohoobles, what matters is the chapter is finally up! And I have these wonderful people to thank. I thought I'd answer Misura's question first, because she brought up an interesting point, and I hope I didn't confuse anyone else on it!

Misura: Well, the thing is, in this story, even though I have followed the original plot closely, I began it entirely differently. Kaiba and Yugi never dueled in the beginning as had occurred in the cartoon. And because of that, I've had to change certain things about the plot, especially a lot of the dialogue. Oh my tartarsauce......*sweats* I had to be SOOOOOOOOO meticulous when it came to the dialogue centering around this duel, so the subject of Kaiba and Yugi's first duel never came up.So yes, *smiles* even though Honda is a poor, stupid little man....he was actually right in this case. If you have any more questions, I'd be glad to answer them! Thanks for reviewing!

Nari: I'm sorta following the plot with my own unique twists. Does Yugi defeat Kaiba, you wonder???? Not tellin'!!!!! But I will give you a hint.......I HATE THE FACT THAT YUGI WINS EVERYTHING!!!! HE LIKE, HAS TO LOSE SOME TIME, RIGHT???!!!! Oh, and don't worry about the long review. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to type it. ^^

Mina: Skimming is fine, as long as you get the general feel of the story! I'm just glad you read it at all, really. Thanks for reading and for the review!

Peace Writer: Wow........Nothing to complain about? Is this really the Peace Writer I know and expect tons of criticism from? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH PEACE WRITER?!

Mamono: Oh, I know!!!!!! Going on the internet 2 times a week has just about killed me....But sometimes I sneak on....*mischievous face* So it ain't all that bad, I guess. Thanx!!!

Lady Silvertongue: Oh come on, obsession _can _be good! As long as it's directed towards something fruitful. Stalking is bad....way bad.....But obsession in itself is good! Except, if you're like my sister and TOTALLY, COMPLETELY, obsessed with Kurama.......But anyhoo, thanks for the review! And don't worry about it being late or anything, I'm really just glad you read my story. Though it's kinda embarrassing...._ A master reading my humble little attempt at writing something decent.....But thank you for supporting me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

TAB: Kurama doll??? Oh sis, I thought you believed it was an _action figure. _He, he, he...See? Your big sis always gets you in the end!! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Sakurelle: You know, it always surprises me how many fans Seto Kaiba has. I mean, he's a total jerk, and nerdy as all get out-*gets attacked by millions of Kaiba fan girls*- but it's the truth!!!! But Crimson, listen, you're one of the...okay, this is going to be hard for me to say...._lucky _girls who actually gets to end up with him, right? So don't worry about the gazilions out there still vying for his love! But enough talk about Kaiba, geesh! Thanks for the review!

Tamara Raymond: Wow, thank you for all the lovely compliments! I work really hard to try and set the mood, I'm glad you think I did well! Insanity from fan fic depravation? Never heard of that ailment...But I hope this chapter helps!

Well, that's all folks, read and hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. You would know if I did: it would have tons more Rishid and super hot Shadi in it!!!!!!__

_Flower Petals_

_Power of Three Part 2_

Taleah could not believe the sudden change that had come over Kaiba. He was so cold and ruthless. Callous. He treated Yugi like. . .like.. .It wasn't Kaiba. Not the Kaiba she had come to know and understand. It was as if his soul had all but been replaced.

What had happened inside the castle? she pondered. It must have been very upsetting and displeasing to have made Kaiba the way he was now. Had Pegasus done something to Mo? She sure hoped not. Something had happened. It was as if Kaiba had been pushed too the edge; too far. He just didn't care what he said or did any more. Nothing mattered to him, except winning the duel. And it seemed he would do anything in order to do so.

"Well played," Yu-Gi-Oh admitted. "But it will take more than a virus to win this duel. Much more."

"Ha! Yes, I expect that it will. Actually," Kaiba's eyes narrowed, "I'm looking forward to subjecting you to a wider range of debilitating cards."

"Keep talkin' da big mouth talk, Kaiba!" Joey warned, shaking his fists.

Tristen timidly stepped forward so he could be heard. "Yugi is a good duelist. He easily beat all his other opponents, and now he's an ever better duelist."

"Yes, but last time he didn't have a Crush Card forcing him to play only magic cards and weak monsters," Bakura said.

Tristen hid behind his friend. "You're kidding! He's only allowed to play magic cards and his wimpiest creatures?"

Tea held Taleah's hand. "He'll still win."

"I hope you're right." Mai turned her attention back to the duelists. "I really do." Then, amazing everyone, she shouted, "You defeat that wretched man, Yugi!"

"Your turn, Muto," Kaiba reminded, ignoring Mai. "Lets see how your disease ridden deck serves you now."

Taleah couldn't look at the Challenger anymore. She quickly averted her eyes; it was just too painful to look upon that familiar face now etched with such indifference and maliciousness that it frightened her very soul. He wasn't the same person anymore. It seemed like no trace of whom he had originally been had persevered through whatever Pegasus had subjected him to. The question that most plagued her was, would he ever return to her?

"You may have infected the body of my deck, but it is the Heart of the Cards that will see me through this contamination," Yu-Gi-Oh declared.

_I hope so, _Taleah thought to herself. _You better win, Yugi. Defeat Kaiba. For as much as I hate to say it, you deserve to win. Your whole life, you've been a just and honorable person. You deserve so much. So although I think this duel should have never taken place, I believe that if someone has to win, it should be you._

_ Don't be so swift to deal out judgement, _a voice from within her bracelet, said in her mind. It wasn't masculine nor feminine, but neutral, save for the particular motherly like quality it possessed. _Kaiba deserves to win just as much as Yugi. Just because he is acting differently doesn't mean he's a different person. He's dueling for his brother, you_ _know that._

_ Yes, I do. And believe me, some part of me deep down wants him to win as well. But-_

_ But he's treating Yugi poorly and you feel that it is unnecessary so therefore you have taken sides, _the voice completed.

_You don't have to be so blunt, _Taleah said crossly. _But it's true. I can understand him having no other choice but to duel Yugi. The thing I can't understand is why he has to be so mean and. . .evil._

_ There are no words I can say to justify his actions thus far. Not that I would want to,_ the presence added. _It's just his way. You can tell as well as I can that he's hurting inside. He was forced to make an unfair decision and whether or not he regrets making it, I do not know. Maybe this is his way of making himself feel better._

_ You're justifying his actions._

_ I am not! _the voice retorted.

Taleah rolled her eyes. _It doesn't matter. I just want. . .um. . .uh. . .er! You screwed me up! I don't know whom I want to have win this duel now._

_ And?_

_ And I wish it would have never happened._

_ Good._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_ Summoned Skull. _Yu-Gi-Oh glanced at his card in dismay. _Good card, but I can't use him because his attack points are above fifteen hundred. Kaiba's Crush Card would infect him the second I put him on the field._

"Muto, to continue playing in this duel, you'll have to serve up your weakest creatures," Kaiba stated.

_He's right. For now, that's all I can do. _"Silver Fang in defense mode! His attack points are low enough to make him immune to your virus."

Kaiba smirked. "It's ironic that a wolf will be the first of your sacrificial lambs, but so be it. Battle Ox awaken, and let loose the dogs of war!"

A humongous bull standing on two legs appeared bearing a dangerous axe. A gold ring hung from its nostrils and red plates were poised on its broad shoulders. It snorted at Silver Fang who growled in protest.

"Axe Slam Attack!" 

Yu-Gi-Oh flinched as Silver Fang howled in agony and was defeated.

"Your puppy has been put down."

"It's cool," Tristen told Yu-Gi-Oh. "Just a minor setback. No big deal."

"Come on Yugi," Tea urged. "You can do this. No one has ever defeated you in a duel, and no one ever will."

"On the contrary," Kemo contradicted, "I think Kaiba has this match in the bag."

"Well, no one asked _you," _Mai growled.

Kaiba spoke, his voice like ice. "Your pitiful defenses can't even withstand the crude assaults of my Battle Ox. How do you expect to protect your life points when your defenses are demolished and you have nothing to shield yourself against my even more powerful monsters? I guess we'll find out soon enough."

_He's right again, _Yu-Gi-Oh conceded to himself. _But how can I defeat any monster when his Crush Card forces me to play my weakest creatures?_

"You should accept your fate for now." Kaiba laughed his obnoxious laugh. "After all, you'll have the rest of your life to brood over this defeat."

_No, I mustn't give in to his taunting. I've come here to rescue my grandpa. I can't let Kaiba defeat me. _"Griffor go! I summon you! Lets see how you deal with this attack, Kaiba."

A dark pink creature that resembled that of a dog, came into being. It had long claws that hooked at the end, and its lower jaw slightly protruded further than the upper one, revealing a set of sharp and pointy teeth used for tearing. The creature stood on its hind legs and possessed two large plates imbedded on its back. The plates were useful and necessary for protection, but they were so heavy the poor beast had to lean forward in a crouch just to bear their burden.

"A Griffor," Kaiba mused. "I think you've made a great miscalculation, Muto-it's pathetic defenses are no match for my Battle Ox."

"Whoever said I was going to play him in defense mode?" Yu-Gi-Oh laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm attacking with my Griffor with the help of the Horn of the Unicorn," Yu-Gi-Oh replied. "Magic Lightening Combo Attack!"

A beautiful horn erupted from the Griffor's head and white flashes of lightening billowed forth encompassing the Battle Ox in its brilliance.

"Your Battle Ox has been destroyed."

Kaiba: 600

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1500

"Alrigh'!" Joey sprang into the air with joy and excitement, startling his friends. "I'm feelin' da comeback in da works!"

"Stellar move!" Taleah and Tea shouted.

"Good move," Bakura praised. "It was a brilliant play at a critical junction."

"Go Yug!" Tristen cried.

"He actually pulled it off," Mai said, quite impressed. "I was not expecting that."

Kemo snorted and folded his arms.

Kaiba shook his head at Yu-Gi-Oh's friends as if disapproving their support to the duelist, and then turned back to face his opponent. "Impressive Muto, using a combo attack to combat the perils of my virus. But I'm afraid there are some hazards in my deck that are simply. . .inevitable. It's my turn now." He drew his next card and made no secret of his contentment. "Prepare yourself for ultimate annihilation, Muto. But first, I'm invoking the Mystical Elf."

A delicate elf the color of a clear spring sky rose up behind Kaiba, strands of her silken light brown hair flowing around them both. She brought with her the quality of peace and serenity, and she put all those who looked upon her at ease. Their minds were temporarily unclouded and they felt calm, as if their troubles were miles away. One might feel as if they could drown in her beauty and perfection. But then Kaiba spoke and the delightful sensation came to a close.

"You see Muto, if there's one thing I've learned from observing your matches, it's that you have an uncanny ability to snatch victory from the very jaws of defeat. But I do not intend to give you such an opportunity today. Which is why I've summoned the Mystical Elf to reinforce my life points by three hundred."

Kaiba: 900

Yu-Gi-Oh: 1500

_I've never seen Kaiba duel so methodically before. Every move he makes is so precise. He's leaving nothing to chance. It's like to him, this were a battle of life and death._

"Behold!" Kaiba cried, flinging out the dueling contraption. "The mighty Blue Eyes White Dragon! Now Muto, your fate belongs to me. Take flight Blue Eyes White Dragon, rise! White Lightening Attack!"

A puissant beast exploded from the small dueling disc in a spectacular display of vivid lights and extremely bright radiance. Its crystal scales glittered with their own shine, and it clawed at the air with its lethal claws. On its master's command, it flapped its magnificent wings and rose into the air. Wind from its wings blew dust particles everywhere and for a moment, nothing could be seen until a deadly gust of intense light shattered the uncertain pause and melted the Griffor with its extreme heat.

Taleah, Mai, Tristen, Joey, Tea, Bakura, and Kemo all gasped at the very sight of such a beast.

Kaiba: 900

Yu-Gi-Oh: 400

The Challenged covered his face as the resulting shock waves tore at his clothing and threatened to force him off the ledge of the dueling arena. When the last had gone by, he stared at the blue eyed beast, with disbelief and awe. He had not been suspecting such an attack. Now, he was defenseless and easily susceptible to its powerful and deadly assaults.

"Already my Blue Eyes has you cowering," Kaiba claimed. "But this is only the beginning. Soon, you'll know what fear is."

"I don't _fear _your dragon," Yu-Gi-Oh spat. "With my Giant Soldier of Stone guarding me, I'll manage to defeat him."

"I'm afraid your mistaken." Kaiba drew another card and called back his dueling disc. "Muto, you have only seen my monsters as three separate dragons. Formidable, yes. But not invincible. But now, I've found a way to merge their power, to combine their attack points to create a monster with power levels unimaginable. Now, I create a Duel Monster without fear, with an attack force so great, that no monster can stand against it. _Now, I create the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"_

A light erupted from the dueling disc so intense, that none could look upon it. It pierced through clothing, flesh, and into their very souls. From the center of the brilliance, a darkness crept. It began as a silhouette of a shadow, then grew into something more. A shape emerged so intimidating, so terrifying, it was something that would not even be seen in the worst of nightmares. It installed a painful emotion of fear and repulsion unto the onlooker's hearts, that excited both dread and abhorrence. A creature of unthinkable power that could not be surpassed, was born. It stood higher than any hologram yet, and bore resemblance to the original Blue Eyes White Dragon. Only instead of one, it had three massive heads sharing the same spectacularly beautiful body.

Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon: 4500

Giant Soldier of Stone: 2000

None spoke. None could speak. They gazed in awe at its frightening magnificence. Kemo, for the first time it seemed, took off his sunglasses, as if not truly believing what he saw before him.

Yu-Gi-Oh gazed unblinkingly at the horrific beast, with a fear he had never known he had possessed. _So that's why he didn't play his Blue Eyes at first! He was waiting to merge them all together. Never before have I seen such a beast._

Kaiba laughed darkly. "Yugi Muto! Nothing can save you now."

Mai shook her head at the dragon. "That monster's attack points are off the charts!"

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "How ca' any monster din Yugi's deck defeat dat thin'?"

"That Kaiba!" Tristen pointed an accusing finger at the Challenger from over Bakura's shoulder. "He's been setting Yugi up for that monster the whole time!"

_Kaiba's really played a brilliant strategy, _Yu-Gi-Oh admitted to himself. _Setting me up with that Crush Card, holding out for all three of his Blue Eyes, and at the same time, decreasing my life points to a sparse four hundred. Now he's got me cornered and staring down the toughest monster I've ever faced._

"Muto, how I savor this moment." Kaiba tossed a lock of his reddish-brown hair from his piercing gaze. "Prepare yourself to see the power of my creation unleashed. Blue Eyes Ultimate White Dragon, Neutron Blast Attack!"

The shock waves from the single Blue Eyes was nothing compared to the combined might of three. In one earth shattering blast that rocked the little protrusion the match was being held on, the Giant Soldier of Stone crumpled, not even bearing the slightest resistance.

Yu-Gi-Oh shielded himself, but he was no match for the forceful waves, and he felt himself being driven back toward the edge of the cliff. It seemed like eternity had passed before everything quieted down. He removed his arm from around his face and stepped forth from the very ledge of the dueling arena. 

His Stone Soldier was gone. He had known it would be. Still, there was some part of him that had been hoping for a miracle. Nothing could save him now.

Giant Soldier of Stone was the last of his defenses.

"My Blue Eyes atomized your creature to dust, Muto," Kaiba said, his cape still flowing out behind him. "You know you have nothing to stand against it, you should concede."

_Yeah, right. That's what you want me to do, _Yu-Gi-Oh thought angrily. _I still have a chance. _He reached for his next card, began to slide it out, then stopped. What chance did he think he had? No monster in his deck could stand against Kaiba's creation. Not even his strongest, of which he wasn't even allowed to play! Not that they'd help. It was a hopeless situation. Maybe, he should concede. He waited for the voice to scold him for thinking up such a silly notion, but it did not. Did the voice agree with him? Whomever it was, it usually spoke its mind. Perhaps succumbing to defeat was logical. He didn't have much of a chance. It was the end for him. He almost had difficulty believing it to be so. After so much hard work and toil, he would fail his mission. It had all been for nothing. Even the voice seemed to think so, for it remained silent, as if agreeing but unable to say that it did.

"No Yug!" Joey shouted at his friend. "Ya ca' win dis!" 

_No, it's hopeless. . ._

Tea spoke next. "Joey's right. We all believe in you!"

_You shouldn't; I have lost. . ._

"Remember what ya're fightin' for," Joey called out. "Heart of da Cards, jus' like yar grandfather taught ya! Ya've never let any one down before, an' I know ya're not goin' da let Gramps down now."

_You are wrong, my friend. I have failed. Failed you all. . ._

Mai uttered a little growl. "Don't give up you moron! You made it this far, it would be so stupid to quit now. Battle on."

_I cannot. There is very little left that I can do._

"Show that bastard what you're made of!" Kemo yelled. "Beat him!"

_I don't have the heart. I have already been defeated._

Taleah let her voice be heard for the first time in a long while. "Don't give up. Not now, not yet. You have yet to fail anyone. By giving up, you fail. Not your grandfather, not us, but yourself. Things are only as bad as you make them out to be. But if you believe, you can turn the tables on any situation. If you chose to continue on with this duel, you wouldn't be failing anybody. And like Joey just said, remember what you're fighting for: your grandfather."

_Grandpa. _Yu-Gi-Oh's eyes filled with tears that flowed down his face unabated. _There is light at the end of the tunnel, Yugi, _he remembered the voice telling him. _Reach it. Remember your grandfather's words. Remember what you're fighting for. My grandpa. _Now he realized just how silly giving up was. He'd fight to the very end. And if he lost, so be it. But he wouldn't lose without first giving Kaiba a tough time. He smiled at that notion.__

_ Grandpa, I won't let you down. I will keep fighting for you._

He brushed his tears away and faced his opponent with a new found strength. "No Kaiba, I will never surrender to the likes of you."

"That's it!" Kaiba clenched his fists. "That's the kind of determination I expect from you. Fight on. Gather every last bit of your strength. I'd prefer to take you down while you're fighting your hardest."

Yu-Gi-Oh focused his attention back on his half drawn card. It was funny to him, that so much depended on such an insignificant thing. _Everything rides on this last card. This duel, this tournament. . .Grandpa. . .But as hopeless as it seems, I still have to believe._

Tea inhaled sharply. "Come on Yugi."

Tristen gritted his teeth in anticipation. "You can do it pal."

Bakura swallowed. "Believe."

Joey sprang upwards and punched at the air. "Kick butt, Yug!"

Mai ran a shaking hand through her hair. "Defeat that loser, Yugi!"

Kemo straightened his back. "Do it. You know you can."

Taleah said nothing.

Kaiba payed little attention to any of them. For to him, they were all very annoying. "It comes to this. So draw your last card, and face your fate."

Yu-Gi-Oh closed his eyes, unbelievably calm despite the circumstances. _Heart of the Cards, guide me. _He felt warmth emanating from the cards; circling him, engulfing him in their absolute power. Then, without further hesitation, he drew the card and opened his eyes.

"Lets finish this Kaiba!"

~

Flower Petals: Well, likey or no??? Hope you all did! And please review!!! It makes me sooooo happy! 

REVIEW!

Oh! And also...sorry, I'm so retarded I completely forgot...I'm going to be gone from April 23rd to May 3rd, so just a head's up! I'm sorry I won't be able to update.

But you can always, REVIEW!!!!


	18. Power of Three Part 3

Flower Petals: Well, hya everyone! It's good to be back!!! - The only problem is, I've been soooooooooo far behind in all my writing (but especially typing..) that's it's taken me FOREVER to get this chapter up. So sorry!

But please be aware that this story is sorta out-dated (as I became even more cognizant of when I was re-typing it up).So some of the information may be obsolete, and to put it simply, absolutely wrong now!!! So please excuse my very old story.......;

But anygohoobles, I have people to thank, so here they are!!!

Mina: I had a line from Tragedy of Julius Caesar?Oh, cool! I didn't even know! You seem to know a lot about literature and plays. I wish I was smart like that........ Thanks for reviewin'!

Nari: sniff, sniff A short review??? sniff Well that's okay. Even I sometimes am not in a chatty mood. everyone shoots skeptical glances Alright, alright! Thanks for reviewin', though!

Misura: Yes, the supremely evil cliffie!!! You're going to hate me even more, 'cause this chapter has one too! Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Erm, yeah...Thank you SO much for taking the time to review.

Peace Writer: You found your way to a lap top? Man, I wish I could find my way to a lap top, then I could keep it and go on the net whenever I like! day dreams Oh, and thanx for the offer of criticizing any future original duels, it was very, erm.....generous.....But hey thank you for the support and for reviewing!

Mamono: Hey, I'm glad I inspired you! beams proudly Usually the only person I inspire is myself! But then often a times, I forget why I wanted to do that something in the first place, and then just stop and eat some chocolate.....THANKS FOR REVIEWING!!!

Lady Silvertongue: Thank you for the kind review. I'm really flattered you take the time to read my story. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Sakurelle: I'm, erm, sorry you had to wait millions of billions of gajillions of years before my last update. It wasn't too long this time I hope! 'Course, the wait is nothing compared to my other stories. I rarely ever update them!!! But hope you likie, and please review regardless! Thank you!

Tamara Raymond: I really enjoy reading your reviews. The ironic thing is, they are better written then anything I could ever hope to write!!! And you're right about avoiding the strict narration of the anime. That is what I should have done from the beginning of this duel. Especially, since now, I am having a difficult time with it.... But I have tried to dull how strict the dialogue is, and hopefully I have exceeded a little! So I hope you enjoy and be sure to let me know! Sorry again..... And thanks for reviewing!!!

Well, that's all folks! Onto the obsolete story....

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh nor anything pertaining to it. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!Sugar!!!!!!!!__

_Flower Petals_

_Power of Three _

_Part 3_

Kaiba smirked to himself. No card his opponent drew could be used against him. He was in control now. And soon, he will have completed Pegasus's twisted task and freed Mokuba from his sick grasp. Soon. . .once he defeated Muto.

"It doesn't matter what card you play next. You have nothing that can withstand the phenomenal attack power of my Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon. You should give up."

"Dat Ultimate Dragon can wipe out da res' of Yugi's life points wit' one breath," Joey stated. Kaiba cast him a quick glance of dislike. "Kaiba has da upper hand and he knows it. He's jus' waitin' for Yugi da back down." He shook his head, messy hair falling about his face. "I don' know if Yugi can pull dis one out."

_He can't, _Kaiba thought to himself. _I have played an ingenious and infallible strategy. He cannot win._

It was Yu-Gi-Oh's turn to smirk. "Kaiba, I just drew the card that will defend me against your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

_What? He's losing it. _"Impossible."

"Watch and learn. This is it-the beginning of your defeat. Kuriboh, in attack mode!"

Kuriboh was a tiny, furry creature the color of sand. It floated in mid-air and had cute, cuddly green paws and big round eyes.

Kuriboh: 300

Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon: 4500

Kaiba scoffed at the idea that Kuriboh could do anything except look cute and make vexatious noises. What was Muto saying? Had he lost his mind? "That's ridiculous! In the entire game, Kuriboh is the weakest monster."

"He's right," the annoying blonde said in his heavy accent. "Wha' can Yugi be thinkin' playing dat little guy?"

_Even his friends think him insane. _"Muto, you're free to concede and forfeit the match, but come _on. _You must know that your creature is the puniest monster with the lowest attack strength in all of Duel Monsters. I've never known a serious duelist to keep one in their deck!" He aimed a finger at his opponent. "Muto, don't insult my intelligence by pretending that miserable creature can defend you against the unbridled might of my Blue Eyes."

"You're mistaken Kaiba," Yu-Gi-Oh countered. "This card will defend everything. And, before this duel is over, your dragon will fall."

_He's not in his right mind. _"My Ultimate Dragon? Nonsense! Hurry up and finish your turn so I can knock the stuffing out of your Kuriboh."

"As you wish. My last card will be the magic card, Multiply. Multiply works with monsters with attack points below five hundred and multiplies them endlessly. More than you bargained for eh, Kaiba?"

What had been one furry little creature only a moment ago, were many now. Seconds later, there was an entire army of identical small Kuriboh. In the next second, there would be enough to cover the whole dueling field.

Kaiba bit his lower lip angrily. "So, is this some kind of joke?"

Yu-Gi-Oh chuckled. "The joke is on you, Kaiba. You thought I only had one defender. But now I have many. And I'm getting more and more defenders by the second."

"No matter. Have you forgotten the incredible assault power my dragon possess? It will burn them all to a crisp. Neutron Blast!"

Smoke billowed around the Kuriboh encompassing them in its suffocating, inexorable grasp. Yu-Gi-Oh could be heard coughing from somewhere in the midst of the blinding haze.

"So _there," _Kaiba retorted.

But then the smoke cleared, revealing a dozen more Kuriboh continuing to add onto their already impossibly high number.

_What? What's going on here? _"My dragon's attack had no effect on your life points?!"

"That's right." Yu-Gi-Oh gazed around at his creatures with pride. Which made Kaiba feel sick with disgust. "You can't take my remaining life points away until you wipe out all the Kuriboh. But as quickly as they are destroyed, they multiply right back."

_ "Hairballs _to each and every one I destroy," Kaiba swore.

"You may have created the ultimate attack force," Yu-Gi-Oh acknowledged, "but I have created the ultimate defense: an ever expanding army of furry protecters. They may not look like much, but they stopped your dragon in its tracks. That's just the beginning, for now, I go on the attack."

Kaiba lifted his head questioningly. "You've nothing strong enough."

"Watch me. For I'm going to show you the combo that will bring your dragon down-Mammoth Graveyard, Polymerization, and the Living Arrow Card."

Kaiba's heart pace quickened. He felt a surge of anger and disappointment come over him as the realization dawned that he did not know what the last card was. And he hated not knowing. It made him feel weak and inferior. He was a champion at the game, but nevertheless, his opponent, who had yet to win his first tournament, possessed a card he did not know about. So as painful as it was to ask, he forced the words out.

"What's the 'Living Arrow Card'?"

Yu-Gi-Oh looked a little surprised to hear the question, but obligingly answered it. "Living Arrow allows me to use my other cards in combination not with my own cards, but with my opponent's as well. I'll show you. Normally, I'd make a fusion with my own cards, but for a new twist, Living Arrow lets me fuse my cards with yours, opening up bold new possibilities."

Not satisfied, Kaiba snorted. "Now what?"

"I can use the power of the Living Arrow to bind my Mammoth Graveyard to the heart of your beast."

The three cards Yu-Gi-Oh had named, merged together to blend into one brightly shining hologram. A huge elephant which had died long ago, emerged from the combination of the three cards and began galloping towards the colossal form of the Blue Eyes White Ultimate Dragon. Nothing remained save for the skeleton of the once magnificent creature. Its head was that of a skull and large tusks. Ribs protruded from its spinal column, forming what had once been a stomach and proud chest of the long dead beast.

Half way to its destination, it transformed into a golden arrow with golden feathers at the tip that stabilized its flight and bore the shaft deep into the dragon's chest, piercing its heart.

The dragon cried out in pain, all three heads contorted in anguish, as a black portrait of the Mammoth Graveyard appeared where the arrow had entered.

Anger and fear gripped Kaiba. "Not my dragon! What have you done?!"

"Since my Mammoth is an un-dead type monster, he can't properly fuse with your living Ultimate Dragon. Instead, it causes your dragon to rot and decay from the inside out. Each turn the dragon will loose attack points until your creature is no more. Your so called Ultimate Dragon and your victory is rotting away Kaiba! It's only a matter of time now, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

"No. There must be something I can do to save my Ultimate Blue Eyes."

If there was, Yu-Gi-Oh offered no clue. "My Mammoth Graveyard has attack points of twelve hundred. That means each turn that goes by, he will drain twelve hundred points from your Ultimate Dragon's attack power. Soon it will be weak enough for me to destroy."

Kaiba gazed at his dueling device with a sinking feeling as his unstoppable creature's attack power dropped to thirty-three hundred. He began frantically going over every card he had in his deck, hoping against all odds that he had something to neutralize the catastrophic effects of Muto's play. He mentally went over trap cards, magic cards, effect cards. But none would aid him. His dragon was getting weaker every turn and there was nothing in his deck that could reverse it.

"Way da go, Yug!" Joey cheered. "Ya're da man!"

"Great move!" Tea and Bakura chorused.

Mai's hand was on her shoulder, no longer shaking. Kemo had returned his sunglasses to their original position. Tristen didn't say anything, but his eyes shown with hope. Taleah's were dim as if she felt nothing at all.

"Ya've had dit!" Joey told Kaiba. "Ya're never goin' da win dis duel. So wha' da ya say now? Guess three heads aren't better den one." 

Ignoring the moron's words, Kaiba shook with the horrible truth that he really didn't have anything that could save him. He was done for. No, he shouldn't think such a thing. Not here, not now. "I can't lose. The fate of Mokuba's soul rides on this duel. And now my Ultimate Dragon, Neutron Blast!"

Once more, the smoke from the vicious attack cleared to show the Kuriboh still producing even more of themselves abundantly.

"Again?" Yu-Gi-Oh sighed. "When will you learn? The Kuriboh multiply faster then you can eliminate them with your Neutron Blasts."

Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon: 2100

Kuriboh: 300

"No. I will not, _can _not be defeated."

Yu-Gi-Oh gave his opponent an almost sympathetic look. "I'll draw one more card and let my mammoth finish my turn."

Kaiba felt as if he were in denial. Soon his Ultimate Dragon would be weak enough for Muto to destroy outright. He had to keep on trying. It was his only hope. "Neutron Blast!"

The flesh dripped off the dragon's heads as it lifted them to unleash its attack. Its necks now melted into its once proud body. It was almost out of strength.

"Once again your attack has failed, Kaiba," Yu-Gi-Oh stated. "My defense holds and you have no other strategy to use against me. Your time is running out. You should have never challenged me." His gaze became narrow. "You see, my mammoth takes another twelve hundred points from your dragon. Even my weakest monsters can destroy it now."

Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon: 700

Kaiba's eyes dropped to the dirty ground beneath his feet. The realization had sunk in now. He had lost. Even after running through all the cards in his dueling deck, perfecting a strategy, conceiving ways of overcoming any possible scenario, he had still lost. He could not believe it. He had failed. Failed his brother. Failed Kiddo.

Never again would he see that cute little smile, or cuddly round face. Or hear his brother's endless chatter. He had never payed any attention to what the child had been saying. He regretted it now. Now, when all things came to an end.

Suddenly, everything went black. A younger version of himself stood on the other side of the darkness, shaking his head in disgust and bitter hatred. As the older Kaiba stared at his younger self, he realized how much he had missed those days in the orphanage. The days when everything and everyone had been bright and cheerful and the future remained unclouded. The days of a lost innocence; the days, before he had met Gozubaru Kaiba. Evil had only existed in fairy tales and late night television shows back then. But now he knew it was very real. Everyone contained some margin of evil, dormant, until unlocked.

A scream banished his reverie and Kaiba returned his gaze to his counterpart, to find that he was glaring at him. He was about to call out to the smaller version of himself, when the younger Kaiba pointed downwards.

Curious, Kaiba dropped his gaze to find Kiddo in a cell gripping at the bars with his small frail fingers, pleading for someone to help him. No, not someone. Him. Kiddo was imprisoned far below the invisible ledge Kaiba and his other self stood, calling out for help.

In that moment, nothing else mattered except rescuing his brother. But he could not move. He was paralyzed with fear and sorrow. It was too far. Kiddo's picture began to fade. He'd never make it on time; he had already lost.

His younger self did what he could not; he began running with all his might, head down in order to gain speed, feet pounding on an unseen path. He ran into the darkness, arms outstretched, calling out his brother's name.

The older paralyzed Kaiba could only watch as his counterpart ran as fast as he could, but not fast enough. Never fast enough. He reached Mokuba just as his portrait faded away into nothingness. He stood there for awhile, panting, as if not believing that he had not made it on time. Then he flung around to face his older self, and spoke for the first time.

"You promised you'd always be there for him. You promised! You promised Seto Kaiba! Why? Was he not good enough for you? Nothing ever is. You never had time for him. You felt as if he didn't need your time or effort! But no, your company was always more important. Just admit it. Admit the only reason you indulge yourself in your work is to have an excuse to stay away from him. Admit it! Say it Seto Kaiba!"

Kaiba wanted so much to open his mouth and correct his child form, but he could not. The paralysis was absolute; binding.

"You've always envied him," the younger Kaiba continued. "Were always jealous of his child like innocence. You wanted so much for him to be like you. Miserable and unhappy. Well, you know what? He's not like you. He never has been and I pray that he will never-_ever-_ become like you are now. He accepts who he is and doesn't feel sorry for living the life fate handed him. Did you think you were the only one who went through such tragedies? Mokuba went through everything that you did. Took it a bit better than you, wouldn't ya think? If anything you should be more like him!"

"But no, you like it in your own little world in your own little house not caring who or what's at the front door wanting in. You are your number one priority. You think yourself above all others. Ask anybody if it is true. Ask Taleah." Kaiba's younger self began to pace. "And you absolutely despise anyone who you consider better then yourself. Hence your bitter hatred towards Joey and Yugi. Oh, and um, your brother. You hate Joey because of his strength and his willingness to show his affection towards those he loves. You despise Yugi because he's everything that you're not and try so hard to be. Lets see, all the reasons you hate Mokuba..."

Kaiba wanted so much for the younger him to stop. He wanted to scream it at the top of his voice. He wanted to knock the little fool off the invisible ledge. But the paralysis prevented him from doing anything; he could not tell his smaller self just how wrong he was.

"You hate him because he's strong, you hate him 'cause he ain't week, you hate him because he's lovable, you hate him 'cause he's meek," the younger Kaiba chanted. "Shall I go on? You hate his ability to forgive and forget. You hate his endurance. You hate everything about him, because all those qualities you think you despise, you secretly want to have for yourself." He shook his head. "You've spent half your life trying to be someone you were not, and the other half _wishing _to be another person. How messed up is that?"

_You're wrong, _Kaiba wanted to say with every fiber of his being. _So wrong. The only person I've ever hated is myself. Not Kiddo. Not anybody. _How he wished he had the ability to speak, but it was gone. Possibly forever. Just like Kiddo. . .

"You know what?" the child asked, eyes flaring with emotion. "You're right about one thing. You'll never be Noah. And you'll never be Mokuba. Because you are Seto Kaiba. Do you want to hear about him?"

_No. Please stop. I can't take this anymore. . ._

"I'll tell you about him. He's a said, miserable person who makes himself feel better by picking on others. By destroying their confidence and their pride, so they can understand what he goes through. What he puts himself through. He doesn't realize that no one else feels sorry for him. Just himself. He likes to think himself as a victim that no one else cares about. Poor him. It just hasn't hit him that it's his fault no one cares for him. That it is _his _fault everyone stays away. He likes it in his own world of misery, where he can feel sorry for himself and not be bothered by anyone else's cares and troubles. He doesn't feel their pain or sadness, he only feels his own.

"It's time," the younger Kaiba declared. "Time to wake up, get out of your own world and house, and see what's been going on outside all this time! It's about time you realize that you're not the only one suffering.

"Mokuba suffered. He never understood why his older brother ignored him after their parents died. Could it be all his fault? His brother seemed to think so. It was manifest in the way he talked, his actions, that he despised the little Kaiba. Mokuba was hurt, but he got over it. He didn't sulk in self pity and wish for everything and anyone to leave him alone. He didn't lock everyone out.

"He didn't become you.

"It's time to wake up Seto Kaiba! You hurt those around you, fearing that if they got too close, they might have actually cared something for you. God forbid that ever happened! You made Kiddo suffer and now he's gone and it's all your fault!"

"NOOOOOOOooooooooo!" Kaiba screamed. He screamed it over and over again before he at last, became aware his voice had returned. He fell to his hands and knees and clutched at his chest. Grief and immense sadness that was deeper then the limitless depths of the darkness surrounding him, overwhelmed him. "No."

"Well, it's true," his younger self insisted. "Very true. You're rotten to the core Kaiba, just like that dragon!"

Kaiba looked at his fingers to see them melting away. Flesh dripped from his rotting hands and fell into the eternity of darkness. He brought them up to his face to find that he no longer had one. It had long since lost its shape. He looked like his dragon now. Rotting away, soon to be nothing but a pile of decay.

"Stop! Please stop!"

"As you wish."

He was back to normal now. No melting, no decaying. But he still felt rotten. "What is this place?"

"Your world," his younger self answered, peering around with indifference. "A place of solitude and seclusion. This is where you go to rid yourself of reality. To isolate yourself from everyone and everything. Beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's dark and dreary," Kaiba contradicted. "I hate it here."

"On the contrary, you love it here. You love to escape to its murky depths and indulge yourself in its darkness. You come here to escape Mokuba who has never done anything except worship the very ground your filthy feet walk on."

Mokuba. Kiddo. A sensation came over Kaiba that had only once ever occurred before. His father had forbidden it. He himself had thought it a waste of time. Below him. Not now. Now, he wept tears of sadness and misery. Not for himself, but for Kiddo and all the pain the child had gone through. His wept for his brother's dismal future. He wept for his brother, who would never feel a parent's love or sit in his mother's lap as she read him a fairy tale story before bed, or share a special bond with his father. He wept for Kiddo's lost childhood, of which he could never regain. He wept and wept until at long last, he ran out of tears to shed.

The younger version of himself stared at him without sympathy. "So now you know." He pivoted on his heel and began to walk away when the older Kaiba stopped him.

"Give me another chance," he begged. "Please, I need another chance."

"You don't deserve another chance," the child Kaiba said scornfully. "Besides, you've already been given a second chance. It was your last."

Kaiba was stunned. "What second chance?"

"Don't you know? Here, I'll refresh your memory for you. Three men broke into your house. You refused to go with them so you-"

"Jumped out the window," Kaiba whispered.

"Yes. You could have died that day. Correction, _would _have died, except you were given a second chance at life. So you could resolve all your issues and undo all that you have done. But you did none of that. You wasted it. It was all for nothing.

"Seto Kaiba, you do not deserve a second chance."

"Please," Kaiba begged. "I threw my last chance away. I realize now what a mistake that was. I won't do such a thing again. I promise. I'll change my life around. I'll see to it that I redeem myself."

"You don't deserve redemption."

"Please!" Another tear slipped from Kaiba's eye and plummeted into an unknown darkness. "That is all I ask. I know what I have become, and I must prevent Mokuba from ever becoming like me. I must save him, and teach him to learn from my mistakes."

The younger Kaiba thought about it. "You do seem to have a lot of those."

"Please." Kaiba's voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "Please..."

His younger self reached a decision. "Very well. You know what you must do."

"Thank you." Kaiba's eyes shone with gratitude. "Thank you so very much."

"Oh, and Kaiba?"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever come back here." With that, the child began to walk away once again into the blackness and gloom of his future self's dismal world.

"Thank you," Kaiba whispered.

No sooner had he spoken those words when the ground disappeared from underneath his feet and he felt himself falling into a bottomless pit of nothingness. As he fell, the darkness gradually began to decline until light penetrated his vision, and he instantly came back to his senses.

Mai was yapping something only barely audible while Taleah and the rest were sort of edging away as if whatever she was saying was too hateful for their ears. Muto was staring at him with a concerned expression, and Joey was yelling something about it being his turn.

But none of that mattered to him. He was given a second chance, and he wasn't going to spoil it. Although it would hurt him to do so, he knew what he had to do. What was _intended _of him. And right then, he would do anything in his power to save Kiddo.

Kemo adjusted his sunglasses over his hazel eyes. "Kaiba hasn't said a word. It's like he's in another world."

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "Wha's wit' him? He's jus' standin' der completely spacin' out."

"Maybe it's finally sunk in that he's lost," Tea offered.

Bakura bowed his head in agreement. "True. In just a moment, it'll all be over. It's almost sad to see a duelist of his caliber take losing so hard."

Muto placed a card on the high-tech dueling device and whipped it out into play. "This is it Kaiba, prepare to meet your demise! Celtic Guardian, attack Ultimate Dragon!"

Celtic Guardian was a warrior elf of mediocre ability. It had short, sunshine colored hair and gentle brown eyes. Its garments were that of which someone might have worn in medieval times when swords were the weapons of choice and helmets and carefully disguised armor were an excellent defense. In one lighting-swift attack, the elf sprang into the air with much grace and agility, and brought its naked sword through the middle of the Ultimate Dragon's heads, severing it from the center neck.

The deformed head unceremoniously fell with a resounding splat, as it collided into a pool of its own melted flesh. Purple fumes of decay began emanating from the other two heads as the dragon continued to deteriorate further.

Kaiba didn't even flinch.

"All right!" all the onlookers chorused.

"This is so cool!" Tea declared. "Once Yugi defeats Kaiba, he'll be able to save his grandfather."

"Hey!" Joey exclaimed, startling everyone out of their celebration. "Da Ultimate Dragon's still standin'! Wha's up wit' dat?"

The white haired teenager shook his head as if he considered Joey very hopeless indeed. But he answered the question patiently enough. "That's because the Ultimate Dragon is a fusion of three Blue Eyes. Each of its three heads has its own attack power. Celtic Guardian took out one of them, and Kaiba lost the five hundred point difference in their attack strength. When the Celtic Guardian takes out another weakened head next turn, that will wipe Kaiba out and win the match."

Kaiba: 400

Yu-Gi-Oh: 400

"You mean Kaiba's toast!" Kemo gleaned.

_I think not, _Kaiba said to himself. _I have to win this duel. No card in my deck can turn this around for me. But maybe if I use Muto's weakness against him. . ._"Muto, it can't end this way. If I don't defeat you in this duel, Pegasus will keep Mokuba prisoner. . .forever. I can't let that happen." A persistent wind picked up and pressed against Kaiba as if wanting to take him with it on its flight. "And even though I don't have a card that will keep you from attacking, I think I still have a strategy that will stop you in your tracks."

Muto looked curious, but incredulous. "What do you mean?"

Kaiba began taking long strides backwards towards the end of the ledge. It wasn't until half way to his destination, that the realization of what he intended to do, dawned on Taleah and her friends. Taleah watched him with undisguised horror as he reached the far end of his side of the dueling arena, and positioned himself directly behind his dragon, on one of the faded brick pillars above oblivion, that surrounded the entire area.

"Stop this!" Muto demanded.

"Wha's Kaiba up da?" Joey wondered out loud. "Does he think dis cheap stunt dis goin' da keep Yugi from winnin' da match an' savin' his grandfather?"

"Your move," Kaiba reminded. "You can attack my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon and wipe out my remaining life points, but if you do, the resulting shock waves may cause me to lose my balance."

"Don't tempt me!" his opponent warned.

Kaiba smiled a satisfactory smile. "My fate is completely in your hands. You'll decide this duel on way or another. Of course, if you don't surrender, I might be. . .hurt. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Stop this Kaiba!" Tea cried. "You know this is dangerous."

"He's bluffin'," Joey claimed. He struck a funny pose and waved his fists at Kaiba. "Now come on! Drop dis cheap ploy an' get down from dat ledge an' play fair! Ya know Yugi doesn't want da hurt ya."

Bakura caught on. "He knows. He's counting on Yugi to surrender."

"But he can't do that," Kemo objected. "If he loses to Kaiba, he won't get into the castle."

Muto looked distressed. "I'm warning you Kaiba, don't push me too far. I must win to rescue my grandfather."

"And I must win this duel to save Mokuba. The difference is, I'm willing to risk everything to do it. You know I can stand up here all night, and I'm certain you won't make any attack in fear that you might knock me off. Even though you know by not attacking, you give up the only chance you have to save your grandpa. Which means I have the advantage over you. For in my case, there's nothing holding me back."

Muto was shaking now. Not from anger, but from the stress of having to make such a difficult decision. He wouldn't make an attack. Not that he didn't have the courage or the strength. It was because he was too kind-hearted. He could never risk hurting another person. His whole life revolved around everyone else. He put others' needs in front of his own. Which fit into Kaiba's nefarious plan perfectly.

He drew another card and practically sighed with relief. "Ah, a magic card." He flipped it around so his opponent could see. "Reborn the Monster. Which I'll use to resurrect the Blue Eyes head that was just destroyed by your Celtic Guardian."

Muto was baffled. "Restore a head of the Blue Eyes?"

From the rot and decay of the wasted dragon, came a new life. A new strength. A shiny, silver neck emerged along with the graceful head of a newly born Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"Now one of my Blue Eyes with its normal attack strength of three thousand has been resurrected. With all of your Kuriboh protecting your life points, I could not attack. But now that you've put an attack monster on the field, I can wipe out the rest of your life points. Which I'll do next turn. Two of the Ultimate Dragon's heads are still weakened. But the third can wipe out your Guardian in a breath. Our life points are equal, Muto. So attack me now if you dare. Otherwise, I swear I'll take you down."

"If he defeats one of the weaker Blue Eye's heads, he wins," Mai stated. "But what if the duel battle accidently knocks Kaiba off the edge?"

Kemo shrugged. "I say, so what? That chump is in a losing situation anyway."

"Surrender now, Muto!" Kaiba challenged. "That is, unless you have the courage to unleash your attack!"

His opponent could no longer look him in the eye. He averted his gaze to his Celtic Guardian and then his dueling glove. The ten starchips had become dull, for they had ceased to shine, as if they were no longer of any importance. As if to buy himself time or lessen the burden of such a decision, he drew a card from his deck. And smiled.

_This is no time to be smiling, _Kaiba thought bitterly to himself. _Give up already, so I can get my brother back. You know you don't have the guts to attack, so surrender. I've left you no other choice._

But nevertheless, Muto was smiling.

_Is he in denial?_

His opponent slapped the card on the dueling disc and fixed his gaze on him. "It's time to finish this once and for all, Kaiba."

Flower Petals: Ya know, I just realized something.....I guess the reason why I had never noticed before was because I just simply took this fic too seriously, but you know how I made up the rule where if someone challenges somebody to a duel they're the Challenger? And the one asked is the Challenged? Well, thinking really hard about it, I realized how funny it is! Yugi is Challenged!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! And Joey's been "challenged" quite a few times....But hey, that's no big surprise, right???

Well anygohoobles, plz review! It's soooooo nice to know that there are people out there reading this fic! And it's even NICER to know they have opinions that could help improve my writing, so review! PLZ!!!!

Please????????


	19. Power of Three Part 4

Flower Petals: Yay! Another chapter up! Hellos people!!!! This isn't too late of an update, so I'm not gonna do my usual flood of apologies, but I'm sorry! Oops.....xx

Okay, here are a few thank you's for all those who have so diligently supported me...... 

Tamara Raymond: I'm really happy you enjoyed reading all the "philosophical" stuff in the last chapter. I wanna be a psychologist when I grow up (which might never happen....sighs) so I try and do all the practicing I can! My sister is a fun test subject....He, he, he...- And once again, thank you for all the wonderful compliments! And thank you for pointing out the fact that I've sorta been neglecting Taleah. You're right-the whole point of illustrating this duel (I wasn't going to do so before) was to delve more deeply into Kaiba's character and psyche. But I forgot about the importance of Taleah's role in the whole thing. I'll try and add more of her in a more subtle way (don't want to steal the spotlight from Kaiba!). Thank you SO much for pointing out these things; I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. And thanks for nominating me!!!!!!! Yay!!! Erm, sorry for the long paragraph.....;

Peace Writer: I know what you're saying about the whole Kaiba not attacking Yugi whenever he reborns his Blue Eyes White Dragon. It was stupid, and I tried to make it correct in this fic, but I'm stupid and couldn't figure out how to fix it, so I just left it as it was. So ah, well....sighs Hey, you must be feeling better though! You criticized everything about the duel and picked apart all three entire episodes!!! Yay, Peace Writer's back! Thanks for reviewing.

Mamono: Seto needs a hug? He needs a good slap in the face, that's what he needs!!!! Nah, I'm just kidding....Well, maybe not. grins evilly as she imagines slapping Kaiba, then shakes her head Alright! Thank you for reviewing my fic!!!

Sakurelle: Which card did Yugi draw??? Bwahahahahahahahaha! Read and find out! Thank you for reading and reviewing.

TAB: You're proud to be my sister? That makes me sooooo happy, sis!!! I really enjoyed writing this story with you as the heroine. And I'd do it again if I was smart and could think of another decent plot!!!

ShadowSpinnerx: Yup. I think so too! Kaiba and Taleah are cute "together". And I believe you're right about Kaiba never being nice. At one point, I actually believed he could turn around and be normal. But then the "Battle City Saga" of Yu-Gi-Oh started and he turned out to be just as evil as ever. Is there hope??? Nah.......Thank you for reviewing!!!

Lady Silvertongue: takes a bow Thank you very much for the compliments. And I'm sorry your sister threw something at you because of me. Just do what I do whenever my sister starts bothering me: chase her around the house threatening to put her hair up in buns!!!! You wouldn't believe how well it works....shakes head in disbelief Well, thanks for reviewing!

Thanks everyone for reviewing and I hope you enjoy this latest installment!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Not the Yu, Gi, or Oh! Nothing! AHHHHhhhh!!!__

_Flower Petals_

_Power of Three Part 4_

Normally, Taleah would have thought her friend insane. But whenever he got that look in eyes that bore sheer confidence and courage, that transcended comprehension, she knew him to be nothing of the sort. He obviously had some reason to smile about.

"I play the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Yu-Gi-Oh announced.

_Alright, _Taleah thought. _He really is insane. I don't know much about the Crush Card, but I have enough common sense to acknowledge that the Blue Eyes White Dragon has a high enough attack power to make it vulnerable to the devastating virus. The moment Yugi pays it, the dragon will experience a dramatic decrease in its attack strength. So why play it? _

"He's nuts!" Kemo conceded, "I've never played the damn game before, but I can tell as well as any of you that it is a foolish move."

A crystal dragon appeared on the field; a mirror image of the one on the opposite side of the arena. The two identical beasts stood eye to eye, neither one making any movement.

The virus seemed to have no effect on the creature. Its life point count hadn't lowered, and its outer appearance did not rot like its counterpart. As for Taleah and the rest of Yugi's friends were concerned, it was a miracle of great magnitude. And there the great dragon sat, a symbol for everything courage and destiny and faith stood for.

Taleah swallowed before turning her head to look at Kaiba. The expression on his face was very frightening indeed. It radiated intense anger and surprise. He looked both betrayed and hurt. But angry. Dangerously angry.

_"What's going on here?" _Kaiba questioned, barely moving his lips to speak.

Yu-Gi-Oh was not intimidated. "I took my grandfather's card with me on my trip, as you can see. Don't get me wrong, he broke no oath. He would have kept this card in that little shoe box of his until he died. It was I who took it. And since I made no such promise to keep it hidden away, I felt myself free to release it of its imprisonment."

Kaiba growled obscenities under his breath.

"As for the part about your virus," Yu-Gi-Oh continued, "It's like I told you before: You may have infected the body of my deck, but the Heart of the Cards remains immune to any such diseases. It is because of the Heart of the Cards that the dragon you see before you does not wither away. Nor will it, for my Blue Eyes White Dragon is here to remain."

"So all the stuff Yugi preaches about the Heart of the Cards is really true?" Tristen asked. "I never figured that."

"No matter what the circumstances or how bad the scenario is, the Heart of the Cards will always come through for a true believer," Taleah said. "Yugi's faith rewarded him."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mai admitted, "But I know whatever the Heart of the Cards is, it must be pretty powerful to overrule that virus."

"To end my turn, I'll switch my Celtic Guardian to defense mode so my life points are temporarily safe," Yu-Gi-Oh added.

"Boy, those two are in a pickle," Bakura remarked. "Yugi can't attack Kaiba because of the chance his opponent might get hurt, and Kaiba can't attack Yugi because their monsters are both equal. I'd say this match has ended in a stalemate. There is nothing left for either one to do."

"This duel must come to an end, Muto," Kaiba told his adversary. "One of us must emerge victorious. It can't stop like this."

"You don't understand Kaiba," Yu-Gi-Oh countered. "I realize now that neither one of us should win. For there's much more at stake here than those we love and are trying to save. Much more."

Taleah gulped. Kaiba wouldn't take that very well. He just wouldn't understand. He stood appearing puzzled and affronted, for Mo was everything to him. It pained her to see him that way. But Yugi was right. The duel should not have an end, for it should have never begun. The only way to get through to Kaiba was to explain exactly what was at stake. Then perhaps, he might just comprehend what Yugi meant.

She stepped away from her friends and began to walk over to the Challenger. She took a deep breath as she approached. It would be difficult to persuade him to trust her and what she had to say. He'd get all defensive and bitter, but she had to keep her ground. Yugi had done all he could, now it was up to her.

The Challenger didn't even notice her approaching. His whole attention was focused on Yugi. As she got closer, she noticed just how disheveled and disorderly his appearance was. He was perspiring, beads of sweat poured from his brow, and his brownish hair was untidy; neglected. Not to mention, he looked unbelievably tired. All in all, he looked like someone who was in a great deal of stress and could not find respite. When he saw her coming, his pupils narrowed to slits.

_"Go away," _he muttered savagely.

Taleah was taken back at his manner of speaking to her, but she did not back down. "No. Just listen to me. I know you don't want to, but you must."

Kaiba gestured towards her friends. "Go back. _Now."_

"I refuse. Hear me out." She took another breath. "I won't explain to you about the importance of the Millennium Items. I'll make this very simple. People are dying and we might be able to get the answers we need to eventually stop it. I-"

"People die every day," Kaiba put in. "Don't see you trying to meddle with that."

Taleah tried to bite back her anger, but it was too much to suppress. She stepped in close to the duelist and slapped him across the face. Hard. Kaiba was knocked off balance from the sudden action, and had to take a step sideways to keep himself from falling over. He brought a hand up to the place where she had slapped him, and gazed at her with astonishment.

_Good. Now I have your attention. _Taleah pointed a finger at him. "Now you listen to me. As I said before, people are dying. Not from natural causes or accidents or anything of the sort. They're dying because of Pegasus and his desire to collect the Millennium Items. I understand that this doesn't make any sense to you. But know this, I love Mo too. And I would do anything to see that cute round face of his. But thousands of lives are at stake here." She became silent. There was nothing more she could say.

Kaiba had listened. Or so it seemed. "It appears that I no longer have any business left with you or your friends. Pegasus won't accept that. So. . .you better all run for it."

"Ya mean ya're lettin' us go?" Joey asked him.

Mai elbowed Joey in the arm. "He just said so, Joeseph. Now come on, we'd better start going before Pegasus locks us up in that spooky castle of his!" She took the same arm she had just elbowed, and dragged Joey with her.

"I thought we wanted to enter the castle," Bakura said, confused. "Has it not been our goal this whole time?"

A shorter, friendlier looking Yugi accosted Kury and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Change of plans, my friend. We are in deeper trouble than any of us have expected. We must retreat."

"Are you guys coming?" Tristen, who was already half way around the castle and busy contemplating the fastest but safest speed in which to flee down the many steps, shouted over his shoulder.

Bakura and Yugi began sprinting after Tristen, Joey, and Mai. Tea remained behind with Kemo who looked as if he had just received new orders, and Taleah of whom was still standing in front of Kaiba.

"What about Taleah?" Tea murmured. "We can't leave her behind."

"Come Tea," Yugi urged. "Taleah will follow, trust me."

Tea stood stubbornly. "Not without her."

Kemo spoke. "You better go young lady. Before it's too late."

Tea raised an eyebrow.

"Catch up with your friends. You have about five seconds before I'm supposed to grab you, sling you over my shoulder, and haul you into the castle. Leave."

Tea fled. She glanced back over her shoulder every few seconds at Taleah, until Yugi wrapped an arm around her waist and forced her to come with him and the rest.

"Go," Kaiba told Taleah.

Taleah started to wonder what she had done. She knew it was right, but it didn't feel right. She began to regret slapping him. Not that he hadn't deserved it. But had her choice been wrong? Had she just caused two of the people she loved the most to lose practically the only family they had left? True, there was more at risk than two people, but they were more than mere people to those who cared about them. They were friends, family, confidants, and so much more. Had she really caused Yugi to lose his grandfather and Kaiba his beloved brother?

_"You keep those you love safe," _Yugi had told her once. She glanced at her bracelet. It radiated a golden warmth that warmed her soul and lessened the burden of her conscience.

Kaiba took a step forward and was about to say something, but Kemo's voice sounded first. It was a harsh tone-he meant business.

"Taleah Dundigan, I think you better come inside the castle."

"Go!" Kaiba persisted. "Now! I'll hold him back, just go!"

Tears swelled up in Taleah's eyes. _How brave he is. He is no longer that stranger. That cold hearted, cruel stranger. The old him is back. A bit too late. But perhaps it's my fault. Now, whether or not I made the right decision, I have to run away from all that I've worked so hard for. And I must leave Kaiba behind. For I know he won't come with me._

Kemo was only a few feet away and closing. His face was grim, and his stride, purposeful. Within the next moment, he would have reached Taleah.

"You'll be safe," she promised. "You and Mo. Thank you. . ."

Kaiba's gaze softened until he didn't look like himself. He looked fulfilled, happy even. And in that brief moment of time, he didn't look like he was troubled at all. Despite his unruly appearance, he looked like an ordinary person who enjoyed life to its fullest. He did not resemble one of whom had suffered the tragedies he had gone through, the betrayal, the abuse, the pain and hardship. It was as if he had been reborn. He was a new Seto Kaiba, Taleah corrected herself. Just like the dragon who had been in a moribund state, was born anew. From the decay, had come a new life. A new chance.

The security guard had just about reached Taleah and was stretching out a hand to grab her. But his reach never encountered her.

She wiped the tears away and began sprinting along a narrow path that wound around the castle and eventually led to the staircase. She felt as if she were in some kind of dream. Her body was going through the motions, but her mind was far away. The world seemed so distant, even though she was running in it. It was an odd sensation to be in a place but to not really be there, and it made her dizzy. Her mind was clouded. Only one thing came to her head when she tried to gain control of her thoughts, and that was danger. She felt it all around her, in the way the wind tore at her clothes, and the night sky continued to darken. She was so confused, she didn't know who she felt was in danger. Possibly herself. Or maybe even Kaiba. He was probably fighting Kemo now. She better go back and help. Yes, he needed help.

The young duelist had reached the steps. She quietly descended them, wondering to herself why there were so many. Surely there hadn't been that many before. By the ninth one, she had come to the conclusion that they had multiplied. Just like the Kuriboh. But then she chided herself for thinking such a stupid notion. Stairs couldn't multiply! Just Kuriboh. Only Kuriboh...

A handsome blonde was ascending the steps, yelling something at her in-between curses as he ran and tripped over every other stair.

She couldn't make out what he was saying. Although she had some idea. How was she supposed to know what he was screeching about? She wasn't fully there, so she couldn't fully listen or understand. His voice was so far away. Perhaps in another world. Yes, he was in another world.

Suddenly, she felt pressure in her right hand. She didn't like it, so she tried to wrench her hand away from whatever the source of the pressure was. But the violent twist only caused herself pain, although it was strangely dulled as if blocked out, and the pressure remained.

"Cut dat out!" scolded a voice.

It sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it-didn't want to. To find out who or what was speaking, might mean having to return. And she didn't want to do that. She liked it where she was, far away from the complications of reality.

But then the source of the pressure started to haul her down the steps at a fast pace. It caused her to skip stairs and trip and from away, she could feel her body wanting to fall. She was descending too rapidly. But she did not fall. For whoever or whatever the pressure was coming from, prevented her from obtaining any injury at all costs.

The others were waiting at the bottom of the steps. She knew who they were, but their names wouldn't come to her mind. Their faces were hazy, and difficult to make out. It was like trying to identify someone hiding behind a white sheet.

Their pace didn't even slow when they reached the bottom. As soon as she was practically carried over the bottom step, she was dragged deep into a forest. She could barely find her footing, so she let herself be pulled. Besides, she was tired. The sleepy kind of tired. Wasn't the pressure tired too? Why wouldn't it leave her alone so she could go to sleep?

At last, her hauler slowed and even stopped. It was then when she realized that the force of their momentum had been the only thing keeping her up. From a long distance away, she could feel herself start to fall, only to be caught again. She was steadied, and someone asked her something. A question perhaps concerning whether or not she was okay. To answer would be simple, but it meant returning and having to use thought. And she didn't want to think. Thinking was complicated.

Someone spoke. Mentioned a name. The voice was strangely mumbled, almost muted. A different someone answered and repeated the name. The name meant something to Taleah. Something at the back of her memory threatened to come forward. She didn't want it to, but it did anyway.

Kaiba! Kaiba was the name. But no picture came to her. She couldn't recall his face. And even if she could, it would most likely be hazy like all the rest. Kaiba was just a name. Just a name.

Danger. The six letter word popped into her head. Danger! Oh yes, Kaiba was in danger. But he was so far away, and she was far away, and now that she had been dragged all the way to wherever she was, he was even further away. But he was still in danger. Had to tell them. Had to make them understand...

"Kaiba," she uttered. Her own voice sounded odd to hear. It was as if she was hearing someone else speak, even though they were her own words. "Have. . .to go back. Have. . .to help. . .Kaiba. Must. . .go back."

A voice erupted near her ear. It was soothing, although she did not know what it was saying. But she had a feeling it contradicted with what she wanted-no _had _to do. It made her frustrated. Didn't they understand? She had to make them understand.

Now many voices were speaking. They were all attempting to be comforting, but at the same time, telling her no. She didn't want them to say no. Didn't they understand? Why didn't they understand? Why couldn't they leave her alone? Why could they let her sleep? She thrashed about, trying to put distance between herself and the voices. There was the pressure again. A whole lot of pressure on her shoulders. She felt herself behind shoved back and forth, over and over. What were they doing? Why couldn't they leave her alone?

"Taleah!"

Taleah felt herself come crashing down from wherever she was. She blinked a few times. Everything could be seen clearly, and her thoughts were no longer jumbled.

Joey had taken her hand and carried her down the steps. He was standing off to her right looking concerned. Bakura had just now, shook her. His hands were still on her shoulders. Tea, Tristen, and Yugi were in front of her, faces etched in concern. Mai was somewhere behind them, sitting on a rock in the middle of the clearing.

Taleah felt the tears begin to come back. It was her fault Kaiba wasn't with them now. Now, not only had she gotten her parents kidnaped, but a good friend too. And she was all to blame.

Tea practically shoved Kury out of the way and hugged her friend. Any other ordinary time, Taleah would have felt comforted. But this was no ordinary time. Yugi's grandfather, Kaiba and his brother, and her parents were gone. Because of her. And for what reason? What if she couldn't get the answers that were needed to save thousands of lives? What if she lost them, as well as Grandpa, Kaiba, Mo, and her parents?

"They're all gone," she sobbed, feeling a horrible weight in her stomach. "And now Kaiba is too."

"Hush," Tea cooed. "There's nothing you or any of us could do to stop it. Remember _Love Ties? _Everything happens for a reason. We can't do anything to help Kaiba or the rest. Because maybe we weren't meant to."

"Sure we can!" Tristen objected. "I think I've come up with an idea."

Everyone stared at him in surprise. Tristen never shared or openly discussed his thoughts. He always just went along with whatever everyone else said. But this time, they listened to him.

"If the legends are true, then a wielder of three Millennium Items would be stronger than one who wields two or less. They are weak apart, but strong together."

"Wha' are ya sayin', Tris?" Joey asked.

"What I meant," Tristen said slowly, "Is that maybe, if Yugi, Taleah, and Bakura all put their Items together, they'd be more powerful than Pegasus. Because the main thing we fear about him is the possibility that he has two Millennium Items. But since we have three. . ."His voice trailed off. But everyone got the point.

Except Joey. "So all dof us shoul' head right back an' kick Pegasus's ass? Why didn't we do dat in da first place?"

"No Joey," Bakura replied. "The power of three can only exist if all three are put together. Right now, they are separate, so they each count as one. Tristen meant that we should send someone back who bears all three. That could be the only way to save those who are trapped."

"I'll go," Yugi volunteered. "Alone. I can't risk any of you getting hurt."

"No!" Tea gasped. "Send me. I'll go."

"But you've never worn a Millennium Item before," Bakura protested.

"Yeah, send Tea," Tristen agreed.

"Let me go." Taleah wiped away her tears. "Please, send me."

"I have a thought on this!" Mai declared. "Since you all seem to want to commit suicide, and one of you has to go anyway why don't you draw straws?"

"We don' have any!"

"Don't be stupid Joeseph, we can use substitutes."

"Like what?"

"Like grass blades or whatever else we have." Mai eyed a lock of her own golden hair. "Or this might do just fine."

"Mai, you don't have-" Yugi started, but the duelist had already pulled out quite a few strands of her long hair. 

"It's a good thing my hair is layered," she joked. "Not one of these is the same size." She clutched the golden strands in her left hand, only revealing the bottom half so that no accurate measurements could be drawn. "Pick a straw."

Taleah waited until after Yugi and Bakura picked theirs, to take her own. Mai had done well-she couldn't tell which was the shortest or the longest. Since sight wasn't needed, she closed her eyes and drew a hair, the whole time wishing to be sent on the "suicide" mission.

"Longest gets to go," Mai announced, casting the remainder of the not-picked into a nearby bush.

Bakura, Yugi, and Taleah all looked at each other.

"Lets do this guys."

"Right."

"Good luck to all of you."

Taleah pinched her strand of the tip with her thumb and index finger, and let the rest show. She anxiously awaited the rest to do the same. Yugi turned his loose. It fell and fell, then stopped not quite reaching the length of her own. Bakura's was close, but Taleah's was by far, the longest. She couldn't suppress her joy.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Yugi inquired.

"Yes."

"It could be dangerous. You could get-"

"I know. Please, let me do this. Trust me. I'll be okay. Besides," she added with a forced smile, "With three Millennium Items I'm unbeatable right?"

Yugi nodded solemnly, and slowly took off his puzzle, delicately handing it to her as if it was an item as treasured as it was fragile. She accepted it and slipped the golden chain around her neck. It felt heavy-surprisingly heavy as if it was filled to the brink.

Bakura treated his a little less carefully, and almost shoved it into her hands, as if eager to be rid of its evil. The item was cold; it numbed her very fingers. Her hands felt like ice, and she began to lose all feeling in them. But no sooner had she placed the Item around her neck, its freezing presence ceased. Now with all the Items so close, she could feel immense power struggling to break free of its bonds. It scared her to be at the mercy of such strength. She could feel all Three radiate enormous surges of energy. What if she couldn't control it? Oh well. It was too late for her to go back now.

"Good luck Taleah."

"Beat him to da pulp!"

"Joey!"

"Sorry."

"We all have the upmost faith in you."

"Be careful."

"Come back with good news. Possibly even a few ex-prisoners."

"You can do it girl." Mai winked at her.

"If you can, wait here for me until I get back. Which I promise you I _will_ be doing. I also give you my word that I'll bring somebody back with me. See you in a bit." Taleah began walking away, fear growing with every step she took. She had backed herself into a corner this time, with no way to go except forward. Forward, to Pegasus's castle. Alone. But armed.

Croquet led the young man through the dark passage ways. All the underneath of the castle were labyrinths leading to catacombs, prison cells, and some even had no ending. It was easy to get lost, Croquet knew. But he had long since memorized all the paths and where they led and where the secret chambers were located. He knew them like he knew how twisted that old man Pegasus was. And he knew exactly, where he was leading the young CEO. Even though it would get him into serious trouble.

He liked the little boy. So full of life, so happy. It reminded him of his youth and memories long forgotten. The days of old, when everything was blissful and bright. And he and his were happily married with three happy children. But that past was a place that could not be returned to. The present was all he had now, and an uncertain future.

If it hadn't been for Pegasus, he wouldn't have had a future at all. Pegasus gave him a life-worth living at least. It was a second chance, but Croquet couldn't help but wonder if he had made a wrong decision working for Pegasus. That man was a marvel. It was a wonder to Croquet how a man who had saved so many lives and helped out so many people, could be so hatefully evil, and demented. Where had he done wrong? He had all the right ideas, but somehow he twisted them so that they were wrong. He took the rejects, the nobodies, and turned them into somebodies. But he also turned them into what Croquet considered monsters and mindless drones. 

"We passed my cell," the CEO stated. "I thought my number was-"

"I know that you fool!" Croquet snapped. "Now quickly, follow me.'

"Where are we going?"

"Listen child, do you want to see your brother or not?"

The young man shut up. Croquet considered that quite an improvement. He had been asking questions since they first set foot in the maze. Questions about the place, and its uses. Seemingly harmless, innocuous questions. But Croquet new the boy was just trying to glean as much information as he could. Which was wise of course, but irritating.

"Your brother's cell," Croquet said as he opened the barred door. "He's been asking about you. I didn't think there would be any harm in reuniting you both." His harsh features blended into a smile. "Cute kid that one."

"I know. And. . .thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."

The smile disappeared. He shoved the man through the door and locked it shut behind him. "No sincere crap for me, Master Kaiba."

"My apologies, sir."

After checking to make sure it was locked, Croquet turned away and began heading back to the main exit. It was only then, when he let the smile return.

Mokuba looked up. Had he just heard the door to his cell being opened? It was too dark to see anything. What was up? He had already eaten his foul smelling, fly befalling, cockroach worthy, sorry excuse for a meal. What did Croquet want now? He had beaten the man at chess over twenty times already!

The young Kaiba beamed at the memory. Each time it had taken him less and less time to win. The last time, Croquet had given up half way through. Which was fine with Mokuba; he would have won in the next few turns or so. His brother had taught him how to play chess. Seto was the best chess player. He could beat anybody! Someday Mo wished he could be as good at chess as his brother was. But for now, he had to put up with defeating novices. Like Croquet.

There was a scraping sound as rusted metal skidded over ancient stones.

So the door was being opened! It had to be Croquet. Croquet was the only one who visited him. He said it was because Mo reminded him of his own son of whom he hadn't seen for many years. The child grinned mischievously. Croquet was ready to lose some more.

But to his surprise, the door opened and closed. The air caused from such a motion blew over him. He shivered. Not from the cold gust of air, but because he had the gut feeling that somebody was in the dark cell with him. He felt a presence on the opposite side. He definitely, wasn't alone.

Being a very courageous boy, and seeing that he had nothing to lose, he spoke up. "Hello? Who's there? Show yourself."

"Kiddo?"

Mokuba's heart almost stopped. Could it really be who he thought it was? It sounded like him, but it could be one of Pegasus's tricks. He was a meanie, that one. But the only way to find out, was to ask. "Seto?"

"Mokuba!"

The younger Kaiba was over two hundred percent positive that it truly was his brother. He cried out in joy. "Big Brother!" Only the rats, and the stinky smelly cockroaches had known how long he had waited to hear that voice. He felt as if nothing could dim his spirits now. He practically ran on air over to where his brother stood, and threw himself in the young man's arms. Yup, Seto. Smelled like Seto, was about Seto high, about Seto wide, and bore the same Seto clothes. Most definitely, his brother Seto Kaiba.

"I waited and waited for you to come Big Brother! I knew you would! But then the door opened and I thought it was Croquet wanting to take a beating at another game of chess. I'm really good now! But now that you're here, I won't be playing against him anymore. I bet you have some high-tech plan to get us out of this place."

"Well, actually." His older brother gently pushed him aside. "I guess I'm one of Pegasus's prisoners too. I was captured as well."

Mokuba was crestfallen. "You mean I'm stuck here?"

"With me."

The young boy managed a small smile. "But that makes it all the more better!"

"How's that?"

"An expert to defeat at chess!"

Seto laughed. Mo stared at his older brother, wide eyed. Seto never laughed, unless it was one of those evil ones of victory. But this one was full of merriment and joy. It was a true laugh. "We shall see about that, my brother."

The little chess master eyed him suspiciously. There was definitely something different about him. He seemed too happy. And for the first time, possibly ever, he wasn't frowning or glaring that evil glare. He looked. . .well, happy. And that was very unlike Seto. "Are you my brother Seto Kaiba?"

"Of course. Who else would I be?"

"An impersonmater!"

Seto laughed again. "First of all Kiddo, I don't think anyone could be an 'impersonmater'. But true, you could hold suspicions that I'm an _impersonator."_

Mokuba almost leapt with joy. "You just sounded very logical. You have to be my brother! Come, sit with me. I'll show you my favorite non-dirty-smelly-icky sitting place. It's right over here."

The small boy led his brother to a little spot in the far right hand corner of his cell. They sat there on the cold surface, leaning up against the filthy walls, staring out into the blackness.

It was little Mokuba who broke the silence, and cuddled close to his brother. He buried his face in Seto's silky shirt. "I've missed you Big Brother."

"So have I, Kiddo." There was a hidden meaning in his words, but it all meant nothing to the child.

"I love you Seto."

"I-I. . ." There was a pause. And then Seto murmured the words he had never in his life said before. "I love you too, Kiddo."

Mokuba snuggled closer. "Seto?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you're here with me."

"Me too Little Brother. Me too."

The two brothers lapsed into a silence. They held onto one another in the darkness of the cell in the dimmest of dungeons, knowing that everything would be alright given the right amount of time. For they had each other. And together there was nothing they couldn't face.

Flower Petals: wipes tears from her eyes Well if that wasn't sappy, I don't know what was! Sorry, it probably sucked (I'm not used to writing sappy scenes...) But I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

Before I forget, (and get in trouble with someone in particular...) my friend Peace Writer is having this huge fan fiction contest through his story, Fan Fic Awards and he cordially invites you all! Be sure to check it out, and don't forget to nominate your favorite stories before it's too late! We hope to see YOU on the red carpet.

Little note for Peace Writer: Hope I did that well enough.....;

Oh, and also, the next chapter will have more about the Millennium Items and maybe (I haven't decided yet) disclose the secret to this entire fic! But before that, here's a little challenge for my dear reviewers......

By putting together the story the café manager told the gang in chapter 7# and the riddle Mai recited from Chapter 11# can you put everything together and figure out who has the final Millennium Item and/or the dark secret behind this story? Well, can ya? If you have a guess, put it in a review!

So don't forget to nominate your favs at Peace Writer's Awards Fic, and please don't forget to review this chapter!!!!

Luv ya all!

Flower Petals


	20. Power of Three Part 5

Flower Petals:Hya peoples! Another chapter up! And it's somebody else's turn to go insane! Bwahahahahahahahahaha! INSANITY RULZ!!!! Erm, yeah.....;

Well, since nobody guessed about the Millennium Items and their secrets except dear Misura, I'm going to keep it a secret awhile longer! But for now, thankies go out to.......

Kongouseki: Joey is definitely a bishi! - And don't worry, I don't think anyone could suck at reviews! You're a great reviewer. Thank you!!!

Sakurelle: You're on vacation, eh? Having fun? Yes, yes, I agree; poor Kaiba....But don't you think it's fun to torment him a little? evil grin Bwahahahahahahahaha!

ShadowSpinnerx: Yay! squeals happily You admire my talent! Yay! thinking face I really wasn't aware I had any, but thank you! throws a cookie to you And to answer your question, no, I don't think I'll make a sequel. The last chapter pretty much wraps everything up so I really don't see how I could make another story related to this one. And I'm too lazy to think up a plot as complicated as this one. He, he, he....Thanks for reviewing!

Misura: Good guess Misura! Actually, you were the only one who guessed, so thank you! Yeah, I made up a reason for Kaiba's coldness. shivers Normally, I don't make up excuses for him, but I thought I'd be nice this time. I mean, come on, he's sooooo creepy on the show! And I understand he had a rough life and so on, but isn't he just like, really evil and creepy anyway? (My sister and I always have this argument). So does he really have the right to be so mean? Does he deserve to have an excuse? thinks Hmm......Oops! Sorry..Thanks for reviewing!

Mamono: I'm really happy you loved the chapter. But I want to know the hundred reasons why! grins Nah, I'm just kidding.....And why, Kaiba getting slapped is one of my favorite scenes too! Wanna know why? IT WAS SOOOOO MUCH FUN WRITING IT YAY! Thank you for reviewing.

Peace Writer: Really? Yami turns on Yugi in the end? I HAD NO TARTARSAUCE IDEA! How does that come about? And no, I don't think I'll make "Yami" evil, but you've definitely planted an idea in my head.....thinks about evil things Hmm.......Thank you for reviewin'!

TAB: Just don't give anything away, sis! Or else I'll make you kiss Kaiba again! Or......looks mischievous I'll make you kiss Tristen! Bwahahahahahaha! Supreme evilness! gets assaulted by angry mobs of Tristen fan girls) Ouchie! Wow, who'd have thought Tristen had fan girls???

Lady Silvertongue: squeals Yay! I always look forward to reading your reviews. They make me feel special. Thank you for reviewing and being such a great friend!

DeMonic Lustre: Hey hunny! You changed your pen name again. This one is kewl too!!! Luvyalotz.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Because if I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fictions and Rishid and Shadi would be the stars of the entire show and Tristen would have a personality!!! gets assaulted by angry mobs of Tristen fan girls again GOSH TARTARSAUCE! WHERE DO THESE GIRLS COME FROM? AND FOR GOODNESS SAKE'S, HOW MUCH IS TRISTEN PAYING THEM???!!!__

_Flower Petals_

_Power of Three_

_Part 5_

_ Do not forget who you are, _the voice had warned her.

What a stupid notion though! How could she forget who she was? She was Taleah Dundigan. That had been ingrained in her head since before she had learned her A, B, C's. She was shy, not very outgoing, and had zero confidence. None. Zip. Zilch. Well then again, zero confidence until now. Now, she felt powerful and strong and confident in her capabilities as well as herself. It was a good feeling to be proud of herself.

The Items made her feel complete, as if she had been a puzzle missing a few pieces, and They filled them up. She was whole. The qualities that had been missing were now at her disposal. She felt as if there was nothing she couldn't do or accomplish. Hell! With all the power she had, she could take over the world. Not that she'd want to; it was just a thought. She could be Queen Taleah. No, that was too corny. What about Empress Taleah? Yeah, that was better. She had acquired so much magic she could give every person in the entire world an equal share. Wow, that was a cool thought.

If this was what it felt like to have Three, what would owning Seven be like? she pondered. A rush of excitement flew over her. She couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to own that many. But it must be truly spectacular. She could do anything she wanted without being held back. No one could stand in her way. She could practically own the world.

_Do not forget who you are. _The voice's warning once again echoed in through her mind. But she knew who she was. Even though she had changed a little bit. She was no longer that shy girl without confidence. She had faith in herself now. She trusted her abilities. She felt _good _about herself. No, she wasn't forgetting who she was. She was _improving _who she was.

If she was already near perfection now, how would having Seven make her feel? Her stomach got jitters in her excitement. The only problem would be obtaining the Others. She didn't want to hurt anybody, but she would if she had to. She'd do anything she could to attain the Rest. Even if she had to go against all her ethics and everything she had been taught. She had to. . .she must. . .have Them. Her desire for Them was overcoming her conscience. They would be hers.

_Don't lose sight of yourself! _the voice cautioned. It tried to fill her with its presence, but she blocked it out. After all, it was just a stupid voice, what could it possibly know or understand?

She had finally found something that made her feel good about herself and the voice wanted to take it away! How selfish was that? She was finally happy. A feat she hadn't imagined possible. The voice just wanted the power-the gift- for itself! It wanted to steal it from her!

But then again, what could the voice do with such strength? Speak louder? She chuckled to herself. No, she was just getting overprotective. Which was plausible-she had everything she wanted and was everything she had always aspired to be. Who wouldn't be scared of losing that? She would take extreme measures. She would take great risks. _No one _would steal her happiness from her. Not even the voice.

Then a thought occurred to her. The presence must come from her Millennium Bracelet, so was there a way of excreting the voice? Could she summon it out? But that might take too long, and she wanted the nuisance gone now. The only other way was to dispose of her bracelet. She didn't really want to do that, but if it meant getting rid of the voice. . .

Decisions, decisions. Well right now, her main goal was to get rid of all who would oppose her. She wouldn't let her happiness be taken away. Not by the voice, not by anybody. So it was decided then: she would get rid of her bracelet in order to protect the Items she still kept. Although, with only two Items, she might feel less happy. And less able to beat Pegasus to a pulp as Joey so delicately put it. But she had to lose It. But It might be good to keep. But the voice. That was another matter. . .

_I am your friend, _the voice attempted to persuade her into believing. _I'm just trying to help you. _It took a motherly tone. _Take a good look at yourself and what you've become. You're not Taleah anymore. Give it up, before it's too late. You don't need strength or power. Don't try to be someone you're not._

"No!" Taleah shouted. "You just want Them all for yourself! Well I won't let you have them, I won't, I won't!" In desperation, she savagely clawed at her bracelet, attempting to rip It from her wrist. When It wouldn't come loose, she became more persistent, tearing at her flesh, trying anything to get It off and be rid of Its evil. She couldn't stand it anymore. She had to protect the other Items. But she couldn't just get rid of One. But It had to go. It was poisoning her mind, working at destroying who she had become. But It wouldn't come off. And now, some part of her didn't want to have It gone. She felt torn and at a loss.

Perhaps sensing her doubt and debilitating assurance, the voice spoke again. _Why are you doing this? I am no thief. I am simply here to help you. Is that too hard to understand? Now listen to me._

"No!" Taleah didn't want to listen. It would just try to manipulate her. To use her. If she listened, it would be the end. She covered her ears, but the voice could still be heard. It was inside her head, she knew, but how was she supposed to block out the sound when it was coming from inside of her? It was not as if she could just shut off her mind. She was forced to listen. And the voice made itself very clear.

_It is as I have feared; you have forgotten who you truly are. In all your new found glory and power, you lost who you originally were. Remember what you once told Kaiba? About wealth and riches? They don't make life worth living, it's the people in your life that do. Remember that? Those were very true words. Just because you hold power beyond imagining, doesn't mean you have to become someone else. You are who you are. And no matter how hard you try to become a different person, you never will. Because you are you. People may hold influence on you and may help you to become a better person, but you do not change. You are still Taleah Dundigan. _

_ I know all this power seems wonderful to you. You feel fulfilled and complete. And happy. But this all doesn't come without a cost. You know the price to be paid? Yourself. What makes you, you. Don't let these mere objects tempt you like this. That's right. They're mere objects. They may hold great powers, but They're still just things. And it is Their purpose to entice you, to lure you into believing all that false stuff in your head now. Power is wonderful, but it taints the mind and slowly eats at your soul. Just think of all the wrongs you would do-were thinking of doing-just to get more power. You see? It's not worth it._

"Wow," Taleah said out loud. "I think that's the most you've ever said to me."

_Good to have you back child._

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, and tears began swelling in her eyes. "So sorry. If you hadn't stopped me, I-I. . .It's too awful to think. It's just. . .I was finally happy. I was finally glad to be, well me. I have never felt that way before. I've always hated my shyness and inability to stand up for myself and my friends. But when. . .Well, I-I thought I was cured. I felt complete. Do you know what I mean?"

_You're justifying your actions._

Taleah smiled, but made no intention of defending herself. "Yeah, well I guess we're even then for that time you defended Kaiba." Her thoughts sprang into focus. "Speaking of Kaiba, we should be on our way!"

_I completely agree. Oh, and Taleah?_

"What?"

_You don't need a Millennium to make yourself special. You're just fine the way you are._

"That's your opinion."

_No, it's fact. You may be silent and reserved (most of the time), and uncertain of your capabilities, but you have rare qualities that distinguish you as your own kind of special. You're brave, for one thing. I know that doesn't go hand in hand with being shy, but it is true. You do stand up for your friends and you take great and daring risks in order to protect them. And, if I may add, you stand up for what you believe in and fight for it. You help people at your own expense._

_ Another quality is your loyalness. You stick by your friends whether times are good or bad and you're there for them._

_ You're also very stubborn and determined. If you want something, you'll push and push until you get whatever it is that you desire. You are a truly remarkable person. But not without your faults._

"You put that so delicately," Taleah laughed. "But thank you for all that you've said. If you keep up these lectures, I actually might start believing you someday."

_That day may be sooner than you think. I'm not going to be here forever I'll have you know._

"What do you mean?"

_I'm implying that you're going to have to make a difficult decision. Very soon. Whatever the decision is, I just want you to know that I'll always be here, just like I always have been._

"Where did you come from anyway?" Taleah inquired, meticulously picking her way through the dense woods. "It seems like you've always been with me. How did I come across owning the Bracelet?"

_One question at a time! The first answer is: I believe you already know. As for the second. . .I've always been around. And you've had me since you can remember. Because it's true. I've been in your possession since before you were even aware of me. That's how it was with your mother-_

"My mother! She once owned the Bracelet?"

_Yes, indeed. And so did your grandmother and your great-grandmother and all the generations of the women in your family. Of course, you're the only one who has ever been aware of Its powers. And for good reason too; Its secret wasn't meant to be discovered until now. You hold the key to a long awaited answer. You, as well as Yugi and Bakura and Pegasus and the rest. What the question is, I cannot tell you. But perhaps you'll figure it out._

"Are you truly a soul trapped in my bracelet? And if so, what does it feel like? Are there more of you?"

_More questions! Trust me, you will discover the meaning for all given time. And patience. Everything will make sense in the end._

"Right," said Taleah, though with incredulity. "I-I want you to know, I'll never fall victim to the will of the Millennium Items again. Or last least, I'll try not to. Now I know what it must feel like to be Pegasus and all the rest who desire such power. It's easy to succumb to. But I won't speak of that again. And I won't ask anymore questions although your so called answers have aroused my curiosity. Anyway, if you don't mind, I should probably focus on this trip. I've already tripped over several times now, and I've nearly collided into trees on three separate occasions, so good bye for now. Talk to you later?"

The voice had already returned to her bracelet. However, a certain presence remained, so that she didn't feel entirely alone. Although it did not speak or make any indication that it was there, it was pleasant company and it made Taleah feel comfortable for most of the trip. Until she reached the castle.

The climb up the stairs seemed shorter than usual. Perhaps it was because she had made the trip so many times. It was only near the top, that the steps seemed to last forever. She quickly ascended the last few, but paused before the great metal doors. For they were wide open, as if welcoming her.

Kaiba and Kemo were nowhere to be seen.

They were most likely in the castle, Taleah decided. Which was where she was headed next. That was, if she could summon up the courage.

Beyond the doors was black nothingness. It looked scary and forbidding, and Taleah couldn't bring herself to enter. But she knew she had to. Her parents were counting on her, and so were Kaiba and Mo. Maybe even Yugi's grandfather. She wasn't going to let them down. She'd rescue them all if she could. But first, she'd have to enter the castle.

"Here goes nothing," she muttered to herself as she took her first step into the dark place. Many more came after it in a fast pace. Not much later, she was running through the castle and its corridors. She had never been there before, yet she knew he way. She raced through the castle not necessarily knowing where she was headed, but having the gut feeling that she was approaching her destination.

The castle was beautiful, she supposed, but she had little time to enjoy any of its spectacular decorations and magnificence. To her, it felt empty, despite everything it was filled with. It felt forsaken, bare. And yet she ran through it now, trying her best to avoid confrontation with any furniture or paintings or anything else that attempted to fill the unfillible emptiness.

At the end of a long hall, she stopped. A few feet ahead of her the foyer ended and forked into three separate paths. Each one was dark and gloomy. It was like looking at the same one three times. But they weren't the same. And she needed to pick one. Whatever had been guiding her before, ceased; she was alone with the decision. But maybe she could acquire help. After all, did she not bear three Millennium Items?

It was the Millennium Ring that acted up first. One of its small golden pointers stood straight out, poised in the direction of the center path. It was so set on getting her down there, It pulled at her muscles in an attempt to get her to walk. When she took her first step, It grew more persistent and practically hauled her through the path rather than guiding her. And she still wasn't even sure if It was tugging her towards a Millennium Item; hence, Pegasus, or directing her to where she wanted to go! She got her answer soon enough.

The dungeon was a creepy place that was covered in decades of filth. It excreted a foul stench that saturated the air and made it almost unbearable to breathe. The only lighting came from torches set every so often amongst the walls. It was quite a maze-every tunnel led to a multiple of different passageways that were either dead ends or met up with other paths. Taleah would have been lost in the eternal labyrinth forever, if it was not for the Millennium Ring. With It by her side, the maze held no threat and she was safely conducted to the cells.

Each cell had a different number. As she walked deeper into the dungeon the numbers increased. It was odd to her though, for every once in awhile, the numbers would abandon their synchronized pattern and skip ahead to a much higher number. Taleah silently wondered if it was because there were secret cells and chambers. It was so dark, she could have easily passed by one without noticing. Further along, the torches became scarce until there was barely enough light to fill the narrow paths, much less provide the necessary amount for safety reasons.

At last, the Millennium Ring ceased to pull, and in fact, stopped her in her tracks. For off to her right was one of the last cells. And occupying it, were Mo and Kaiba. They were both leaning against the far wall, cuddling for warmth. Kaiba had his eyes closed, so Mo saw her first.

"Taleah!" He sprang to his feet, nearly trampling his brother in his excitement, and skipped over to the barred gate.

"Mo. I'm so glad to see you." Taleah felt a wave of relief and joy come over her. She had missed the little boy so much, and she was glad to see he wasn't hurt in anyway. On the contrary, he looked the happiest she had ever seen him. He was such a cheerful kid. Always bright and happy. It made Taleah angry to think that someone could do this to him.

Kaiba opened his eyes and wearily got to his feet. He looked tired and fatigued, but nonetheless pleased to see her. Once again, Taleah noticed how calm he looked, as if all the anger and hate that had built up over the years was now suddenly gone. "Taleah."

Wishing the doors open, they unlocked almost magically and Mo sprang into her arms. He hugged her tight around her waist and murmured how nice it was to see her again. When the hug was over, he ran circles around her and his brother shouting his joy. "I knew she'd come! Didn't I tell you?"

Kaiba's features lightened almost into a smile. But not quite. He leaned forward and kissed Taleah on her forehead, whispering something in her ear.

Mo crossed his arms, face curious. "So, a lot has happened since I was taken away, hmm?"

Taleah laughed. And much to her utter astonishment, Kaiba chuckled. She didn't question this phenomena. Instead, she just enjoyed the moment. Everything felt right again, despite the fact that they were all in the dungeon of an evil man, and two seconds away from thinking up an escape plan. But it still felt right. As if everything was going to at last, be okay. . .

"What a happy reunion."

It was Pegasus.

Taleah whipped around to face the wicked man. He stood a few feet away in his usual red suit with all the frills, looking very smug. His arms were out in welcome and his sly features twisted into a complacent smile.

"Stay away," Taleah warned, gripping all three Millennium Items. She wasn't giving up without a fight. Pegasus's appearance had caught her off guard, but she had been expecting him. And she was ready to face whatever he had in store for her. "Out of the way old man."

A strange look came over Pegasus's features. "Oh, I'm older than you think, my dear."

Taleah clenched her jaws. "I said out of the way."

"But Taleah dear, you've just begun to master your powers. What chance do you think you'll stand against me, who knows everything there is to learn about such things? You're in more danger than you could ever be aware of. As well as the others."

Taleah's heart fluttered with uncertainty and fear. "What do you mean 'others'?"

"The meaning of my words are simple my dear," Pegasus laughed. "I'm simply implying that you shouldn't have left your friends. . .unattended."

Flower Petals: That's all folks! Sorry, it was probably a lame chapter, but I had no other choice but to leave off on this point because otherwise the chapter would have been about twenty pages and my fingers would have probably fallen off...XX But thank you for reading and don't forget to.....

REVIEW! The sooner ya all review, the sooner I can get the next chapter up, so get to it peoples!

Luv ya all!

Ja ne!


	21. Power of Three Part 6

Flower Petals:Heya! How is everybody? Well, this is the chapter that will tell ALL! Yes, you heard it (or read it....--')......This is the chapter that will explain a lot, so be prepared to be confused! Bwahahahahahahahaha!

Mina: Okay, this is the first time I've used the "quickedit" feature, but I was just about to upload this chapter when I received your reviews, so I hope this works! crosses fingers But thank you soooo much for reviewing! Sounds like you've been pretty busy. Softball pratice eh? I sure miss playing softball...sniff, sniff And cool, I didn't know you played the clarinet! Are you in a band? And hey, don't EVER doubt yourself! You're a FANTASTIC writer, and you have TONS of loyal fans who luv your work just as much as I do so don't beat yourself up!

Mixed-Matched: Yeah, I made a mistake following the duel between Kaiba and Yugi so carefully. A few other people complained about the boringness as well. sniff But ah, well. I'm glad you're still enjoying reading this fic! And if it gets boring or dull again, let me know so I can change it around! Any advice is certainly welcome! And thanks tons of fudge and caramel chunks for reviewing! -

Mamono: I LUV doing "power struggles". They're what really brings out the personalities in characters, you know? And, putting characters in really difficult scenarios where there's like, no hope of escape or like, no chance of them surviving or coming out unscathed and/or losing somebody they care about and, and.....okay, so I'm a bit twisted when it comes to writing stories. sheepish grin But it's fun doing evil things to characters! Um, thank you for reviewing!

Sakurelle: Thank you for watching out for everybody! Taleah wanted me to tell you (or type to you, jeez, I keep gettin' confused....) that she's grateful! grin Good plan!

Tamara Raymond: Thanks for the high five! blushes You really think Taleah's the best oc character you've read? faints and dies then comes back to life Thank you sooooo much! You're one of the most supportive (not to mention, helpful! grin) people ever!!!! I always look forward to reading your reviews. - And hopefully, I'm deserving of them! laughs Sounds like you have a cute kitten. What's his name?

Alright, so here it is.......Any final guesses???

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. La, la, la, la, la....I get so bored of saying that.....__

_Flower Petals_

_Power of Three _

_Part 6_

Tristen claimed he had heard something. He was clammy with sweat and kept peering over his shoulder as if expecting someone or something to jump out at him. At first no one else believed him. After all, he was the same person who feared his own shadow. But after the last sound, everyone was aware of the danger they were in. They knew they were doomed.

All four Eliminators stepped out of the woods and encircled them. Each one was taller and more hideous than the next. Panic was the tallest, and his malicious grin was by the far the most unsettling. And evil. The other three flexed their massive arms and cracked their knuckles.

Yugi and Bakura felt hopeless. They no longer had their Millennium Items to protect them and their friends. Without Them, there was nothing they could do. Their fate was entirely up to the Eliminators.

Complacently, the four giants grinned. They all took a gigantic step forward, looming over their victims. "Lets duel."

"Leave now and you will reach them in time," Pegasus informed. "But would you dare leave your boyfriend and his brother in my hands?"

"I'm taking them with me," Taleah growled. Anger and intense revulsion coursed through her. This had been a trap all along! Pegasus just wanted Kaiba and Mo so he could have her and the Items she bore. She shook with hatred towards the man. Now, he must go. She would make him pay for all that he had done.

Using the power of Kury's Millennium Ring, she focused her anger and channeled it into the Item. Then, in a dazzling emanation of emotion, a powerful energy surged forward towards Pegasus. But it was neutralized by an equally powerful force from the target's own Item.

He through his head back and laughed. The peals of his content laughter rang in their ears long after he was finished. "Attempting to take my soul? Oooooooohahahahahahahahahaha!"

Kaiba pushed his brother behind him protectively and put a hand on Taleah's shoulder. But it provided her no comfort.

"My dear, that was a pathetic attempt indeed. Whatever else is your feeble mind concocting? Well no matter what it is, it's going to take much more than you could ever give. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Yugi and his friends stood back to back in a tight circle. They continued to press up against each other as the four monsters approached. Another step or two, and they'd be upon them. Even being as small as he was, Yugi couldn't get passed them. They left him and his friends no other alternative but to fight. Even without the help from the voice and his Puzzle.

"We can take them on," Tristen claimed. His voice was shaky but it did not break, and his uncharacteristic audacity lent hope and courage to his friends. He stepped forth from the protective circle and clenched his fists. "I got the big guy!"

The others did not know what brought about the sudden change in Tristen. They were just glad he would fight also. Yugi was proud of his friend. He hadn't been sure Tristen was up to this. But now, they'd all go down fighting together.

The Eliminators attacked. They fought like savages; clawing and tearing. Occasionally they'd try a punch or two, but their deadly fists never reached their targets for Yugi and his friends were too quick. They sprang, and whirled out of the way, narrowly avoiding each vicious assault to the head or stomach.

Joey was good at brawls having the rough street background he did. Barely missing one attempt to his skull, he spun on the heel of his left foot and drove the ball of his right into an Eliminator. The attack knocked the wind from the giant, but stalled him only for a moment before he was back to the offense.

Mai and Tea were working as a team; first providing a distraction, then surreptitiously landing painful blows.

Tristen had long since pounced on the "big guy" and was pulling at his hair.

In all the confusion, Yugi quickly lost track of his friends. Everything was happening so fast, it was difficult to make out anything or anybody clearly. Noises were coming from every direction, reverberating in his ears and he could feel the wind from all the blows and action around him. He was afraid to do anything lest he should hurt one of his friends. He really didn't want to fight. He despised fighting! It was never the answer, and in the end everyone wound up getting hurt. And yet, here and now, he had to fight. He wouldn't see his friends get hurt.

An idea came into his head. But there was no longer a voice to criticize it. The presence was gone with Taleah; it couldn't help him now. He was by himself. Alone and weak. It was an odd feeling to be alone. The Puzzle had always been with him. Now he felt empty and abandoned. And so very helpless.

A scream, seemingly from Tea brought him out of his thoughts. His heart turned cold as he desperately searched for her. But there was so much activity about him he couldn't make out distinct shapes. His mind was overcome with blind terror.

Then everything went black.

"Your friends should be on their way now," Pegasus told Taleah. "My faithful servants are quite efficient in their duties." He paused to neutralize another attempt from the young girl. He laughed. "My dear, you do amuse me. Ha, ha!"

Taleah was growing frustrated. Nothing was working and Pegasus kept toying with her. Were her friends really in danger? She had left them without any protection. She'd die if anything happened to them. But she couldn't reach them if she didn't get past Pegasus. And no matter how hard she tried, it seemed like an impossible feat.

The Millennium Ring glowed briefly, then raised all Its pointers straight up at the ceiling. Taleah didn't have a chance to even think about the cause of such a happening before she heard the blades of the helicopter practically on top of them. The noise increased as the chopper descended and then landed on a designated spot above the dungeons with a loud tap. It was evident to her now-Pegasus had another Item.

The distraction bought her the time she needed. She took Kaiba and Mo and ran.

Yugi's vision slowly came back. Within the next few blinks shapes became clearer. There were many of them. All dark and tall. Way too tall. But then he realized he was laying down. Someone stirred beside him. His friends must be laying too. In front of those guards. Pegasus's guards no doubt.

Once again, they were at the top of the staircase before the grand doors. And surrounded by men in dark sunglasses and suits. Kemo was amongst them. But besides the guards, no one else remained. The Eliminators were gone.

The young duelist sat up and rubbed his aching head. It was dark, he saw. Very dark. The darkest night he had ever witnessed. But it had an eerie red hue to it as if it was tainted with blood. Even the clouds were black and foreboding, save for the dark crimson ones. What the bizarre coloring meant, Yugi dd not know. He just knew it was spooky.

"Is dis heaven?" Joey asked, his voice rough. "Cause if it dis, I'd much rather be din Hell. Oh, looky, der's Kemo. Guess I was wrong."

"Stand up runt," the guard ordered. "All of you."

But before any of them could attempt to stand, three people came bolting out of the castle doors. When they reached the stairs, they spun to face whoever had obviously been chasing them.

Pegasus followed not too far behind. He looked at the three, then at Yugi and the rest on the ground. A wicked smile appeared across his mouth. "Ah! I have all of you together now. Just where I want you."

Yugi held his breath. What was Pegasus going to do with them? Or worse, Taleah? She still had the three sacred Items. She was the one in the most dire peril. And there was nothing he could do to help her.

A buzzing sound made itself heard. It was from a hidden radio. Then a man's voice met their ears. A voice, that sounded very much like that of Croquet's.

"The. . .bsssshhhh. . .guest from across. . . .bssshhhh. . .the water. . . .bssshhh. . .is here, sir. . .bbssshhh."

Pegasus looked disappointed as if he were a child and his favorite toy had been taken away. "Very well. Guards? Kemo? Watch our guests. Keep a close eye on them."

"Yes, sir."

"Until we meet again, my dear," Pegasus told Taleah as he left.

"What are you planning on doing?" Mokuba asked. He was holding Taleah's hand and looking up at her with his big purple eyes.

"Something I'll regret in a minute or less," Taleah answered. "But it must be done."

The guards, unable to defend themselves against her magic, slowly transformed into cards. Duel Monster cards. They floated in the air, then daintily fluttered to the ground where they lay in place of what once was.

"I'll return you all back to your original shapes," Taleah vowed. "I'm sorry I had to do this."

"Forget them," Mai advised. "Trust me, they're better off that way."

"We need to think," Taleah declared. "We have to solve the riddle. Because it seems we're officially out of time."

Everyone in agreement, they began sprinting down the stairs never once looking behind them in fear that they might see something they'd rather never lay eyes on again. About half way down, Taleah got an idea.

_"Four were close together in the very end. _Maybe we should think up all the things we have in common. Because if we're as close as the rhyme says, then the fourth person will have to have something to do with ourselves."

"But what if Pegasus already has the fourth person?" Tea questioned. "How can we be sure we're looking for somebody that isn't already found?"

"Because Pegasus has the other Three," Taleah replied. "When we were down in the dungeon, a helicopter flew in and just not too long ago Croquet said something about a guest from across the water. That sounds far away to me."

"Then we've fallen into a trap," Kury concluded. "Once we figure out who it is, we'd lead Pegasus right to him or her. We're in bad shape which ever way you look at it."

"Not if we get the Item first," Yugi contradicted.

"An' wha' are we gonna do wit' dem once we find 'em?" Joey asked. "Sleep on 'em?"

"We'll decide that after we solve the first problem," Bakura said. "Now, what do we all have in common?"

"We all like pizza."

Everyone glared at Joey.

"We all live in the same town," Yugi offered. It was the only thing he could come up with at the moment.

"That's good," Taleah commented. "But there are so many people in the town, we wouldn't know where to look first. We have to break it down. Narrow the search."

Kury had an idea. "Do you all go the same gym?"

Yugi felt a tinge of regret. He was embarrassed to admit it, but the only exercise he got was from Gym Class at school. "I don't work out."

"That's okay," Taleah assured. "Hmm, same neighborhood, same school. . .Same school! Think of something strange that has happened to someone we know from school."

They were all silent in deep thought. They could all think up weird coincidences, but did that count? Some were afraid to voice their opinions. Others had no idea. But they didn't have to think for very long for Taleah soon figured out the answer.

"It's Simmick!" she cried. "Remember how he saved that elderly lady from the burning car? He wears that strange earing of which he equally loves to brag about. He must have the Millennium Earing!"

"Wow," Tea admitted. "I never thought that kid would ever be someone special."

"So what now?" Mokuba inquired. When no one answered, he pressed on. "Should we go over to Simmick's house? I betcha Pegasus is going to send somebody pretty soon to go and get him. We should probably get there first before that happens. But how do we get off this island?"

Once again, no answer.

"I guess we could swim across. No, no, that's not good. I can't swim! I'd most likely drown. Um, well if we had one of my brother's device gadget thingies we could fly out of here."

Kaiba clapped his hands. "That's it! We'll fly out of here on my helicopter. Although with all of you we might exceed the maximum weight restriction, but I can compromise. Follow me, I believe I landed my helicopter just over the ridge.

"God spare us all," Yugi murmured under his breath as he followed the Champion, the Item Bearers, and all those unfortunate enough to be caught in everything in their climb up the dark path.

Flower Petals: Well, did any of you guess correctly? And in case you're all clueless, Simmick is mentioned in chapter 1# and I think chapter 3# (or whenever the school dance was....) So if you're curious, please go back! I left some subtle hints but so far, everyone who has read, didn't get them. sighs So if anybody did or even knows what I'm talking about, please let me know! It'll make me sooooo happy!

Please review! I'll be more inclined to update sooner! grin

Ja ne!


	22. Last Song Sung

Flower Petals:Major oops! Sakurelle informed me that I made a mistake last chapter and it's horribly, terribly, true! Apparently, added a new rule about paragraph separater thingies that I wasn't aware of (oh, why do I _never _pay attention to rules???) so in the last chapter when the scenes switched between Yugi and Taleah's point of view, there was nothing to divide the paragraphs. So I'm very sorry!

A few notes about this chapter.....Sorry it has taken me so long to get it up. It's not going to be all that great of a chapter-I couldn't think of any improvements and it's a lot more sedated than the previous so it might be a little boring. But hang in there! It's just the calm before the storm, hopefully the next chapter will contain some of the suspense that this one will surely lack.

But anygohoobles, thank you to.......

Tamara Raymond: grin Haku and Shoda sound really cute. Do their names mean something? sigh Yup, when I wrote this I had NO idea what Millennium Items were and in fact, didn't know any other Millennium Items beside Pegasus's, Yugi's, and Bakura's so my curiosity compelled me to make up their history and invent several new Items so hence....the Millennium Earing....I'm glad you don't mind that I made up everything I didn't understand. - Your support and wonderful reviews are really what have kept me from giving up on myself. So thank you SO much! And I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you.

TAB: Yay! I'm sooooo close to 200 reviews! I never thought I'd even get past 100, so this really is a blessing. - Thank you sis, for reviewing!

ShadowSpinnerx: laughs You know, I'd have thought Pegasus was gay too, except for the fact that he was once in love with Cecelia (or however you spell her name.....). But he definitely has all those "gay" qualities goin' for him!!! I wouldn't say that I _hate _Pegasus....After he was "disposed" of, my sister and I actually found ourselves kinda missing his fantastic evil laugh...sighs No one can evil laugh as well as Pegasus.....Thank you for reviewing!

Mina: I'm sorry you won't have your same good ol' band teacher any more. I think sometimes it's the conductor that makes band practices a lot more fun! I hope whoever you have now, you like just as much if not more! Ug, what is it with talented cousins???? Your cousin is writing a novel, and mine is a talented actress/ballerina!!! NOT FAIR!!!!!! But you don't have anything to worry about-you're a fantastic writer and you have TONS of people who luv your work. I, on the other hand, couldn't act to save Hiei's life, and I was kicked out of ballet school because my instructor accused me of being a "flat-footed elephant"..........sighs unhappily But anyhoos, thanks for reviewing!

Sakurelle: Oh my gosh, thank you VERY much for letting me know about the paragraph separater thingies! I would have just kept writing along my jolly way not knowing of the horror!!!! So thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Mamono: Jeez, after reading your latest work, I'm kinda embarrassed you're reading this story. But thank you for being so supportive! And one day I hope I can write at _least _half as well as you can!

Schizophrenic Kitten: Hi Jaye! So you're Lyssa's sister? Nice to meetcha! And thank you for reviewin'!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Or a helicopter....sighs __

_Flower Petals_

_Last Song Sung_

__Surprisingly enough they all fit in the small helicopter. However, because of the additional weight, the aircraft couldn't reach higher altitudes or travel very fast for that matter. But as Taleah saw it, it was either cramped and traveling at snail speed, or watch hopelessly as Pegasus took over the world. The latter, still being a possible scenario.

Conversation had been scarce and sporadic since they first took off. Any attempt would only elicit the slightest reply from the rest. Questions were answered with yes's and no's, and occasionally the nodding or shaking of the head. None could think up anything to release themselves from the stress of their present predicament. Tension saturated the air, choking them of their comfort. Only Mo who was too young to understand, remained unaware.

The little boy gazed up at Bakura. "Excuse me sir, but why do you have white hair? Are you an old man in disguise?"

"Mokuba!" Kaiba chided. He shot his brother a nasty look from over his shoulder, then went back to piloting his aircraft.

"Yeesh!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Excuse me, but white hair is usually associated with the elderly!"

Joey blinked. "'Associated'? Wow, dat's a big word. I don' thin' I knew da meanin' of dat a year ago!"

"That's what makes you who you are," Mai said, fondly, "a clueless, oblivious, obnoxious, moron." She gave him a wink.

Mo wasn't ready to give up just yet. "Are you old? You don't look old. But you might be. You do have the white hair after all."

"Well, um." Kury's face reddened. "Actually, it's because I have a lack of pigment. So as a result, my hair is extremely light. No one has ever asked me that before. They've all just stared!"

"Pigment is a substance that produces a characteristic color in plant and animal tissue," Mo's older brother explained. "Now, no more questions from you!"

Mo pouted and sank lower in his seat.

The pilot and passengers fell into an eerie silence. They all felt their heart pace quicken as they approached Domino Town. No topic of conversation could distract them now. Until Mai spoke.

"Here's a little game," she prompted. "Why don't we all express what we fear the most? The rules are simple enough. We'll each take turns telling our deepest fears, and after one's done speaking, the rest will come up with ideas to conquer their fears. How about that?"

"Anythin' is better dan dis," Joey stated. "Hmm, wha' do I fear? Probably drinkin' dat _Diet Coke _crap."

"Here's my advice," Yugi said, "don't drink it."

_"Seriously _people," Mai insisted. "Yugi, why don't you go next?"

Yugi thought about this for awhile. There were so many things he feared. But only one thing stood out. "My grandfather falling back into depression. I'm afraid of losing him again. I try my hardest to keep him focused on the happy times and tell him to live day by day. But it doesn't always work. Not too long ago-" Yugi swallowed. "Not too long ago, I thought he had left me.

"It was on a Saturday and Grandpa had slept in so I decided to open the Game Shop without him and catch a few of the early customers. But as the day continued to progress and there was still no sign of him coming down from his room, the customers and I began to grow worried. So around midday, I went to check on him. I-I went over to the bed and he was barely breathing. I tried everything to wake him but it seemed he was in a catatonic state. He looked so peaceful, I almost didn't want to wake him. I-I"

"Ya shoul' have told us dis sooner," Joey said. "Ya didn' have to wait until now."

"Your grandfather is a strong man, Yugi," Tea assured. "He won't go away again. There's too much to live for."

"He's lucky to have you," Taleah added. "You're probably the world's greatest grandson! There would be no point in being depressed."

Mai turned to Tristen. "Okay, what's yours?"

"I have a fear of everything! I don't like change, especially at the last second. I don't like people, poisonous plants and snakes, bugs, cars, traffic, blue socks. . .I could go on forever."

"It seems to me your biggest fear is losing all that you hold dear," Kaiba analyzed. "You can't control everything and it drives you crazy. You don't have any say in what happens to and around you. What you've got to understand, is you can't prepare yourself for everything. You must take life as it comes, and learn. . ." Kaiba took a breath. "Learn from your mistakes."

Tea went next. "My all time fear is that I'll be a burden or get in the way. It just always feels like that."

Taleah was shocked. And by the look on Yugi's face, he was too. They both hadn't known she felt that way. Tea was pushy, and would always speak her mind at the worst possible times, but she was the one person they could always count on. The one person who would be there, and stick by them to matter what end.

Yugi told her so, and she blushed. From a rear view mirror, Yugi could see Kaiba roll his eyes. But what he did not see, was that Kaiba managed the slightest of smiles as he averted his gaze to look upon Taleah. She met his gaze and managed a smile of her own.

"I'm afraid dat my sister will go blind before I can do anythin' da prevent it," Joey admitted. He brought his hands together. "But I'll do anythin' I can ter help!"

"And so will we." Taleah swallowed. It was her turn. "I'm afraid of failing, of not reaching expectations that are mostly my own. And I'm _so _scared I'll fail my parents."

Mokuba looked appalled by that notion. "I'll make sure you won't! Not that you would anyway." He grinned.

Taleah ruffled his hair. "Thanks Mo. Why don't you go next?"

"Sure. I fear that I'll lose my brother. He's the only family I have left. Until you marry him many years from now and become part of the family that is."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kiddo," Kaiba said over his shoulder. "I'll never leave you again."

"What are you afraid of Big Brother?"

"I'm already past that. Right now the only thing I fear is running out of fuel and having to land this blasted thing in the sea."

Tristen held onto his seat tightly.

"Anyone care to know my biggest fear?"

They all turned to look at Mai.

"Being who I really am. I've been so afraid to open myself up that I've built high defenses. I try to make myself as different from who I really am as possible. That way, no one could every know the true me and make judgements and be critical. But now I've realized it was wrong. Because no matter who I pretend to be, there's bound to be someone out there who won't like me."

"I don' thin' ya have to look very far," Joey quipped.

He got punched in the arm.

"What about you Kury?" Taleah inquired. "What do you fear the most?"

Bakura's voice was barely above a whisper. "Being alone. . ."

Taleah switched seats with Yugi so she could sit by her friend. She slipped her hand into his. "You'll never be alone. You have us. And your parents, whenever they return."

"Even all of you are slipping away from me. Or already taken away." He eyed Taleah and Kaiba, then focused his chocolately brown eyes replete with submission and sorrow on Taleah and said softly, "I had finally summoned up the courage to tell you how I feel. But I guess it's too late now." He dropped his gaze to the floor.

Taleah's hand slipped from his to lie motionless on the seat. Was he trying to tell her that he liked her in that way? Long ago she would have felt the same way towards him. But now with Kaiba. . .

"Well," Mai began loudly, "now that everybody has spoken, do we all feel a lot better?"

"Oh, yes," Tea said, excitedly. "My chest feels a lot lighter."

"That's because you have no chest," Mai said with a playful grin.

The helicopter was a mess of laughter, until Kaiba announced that they were just about there. Everyone returned to their original seats and became silent with fear and anticipation.

Taleah felt none of that however. She was upset and frustrated. She felt as if there was something more to say between her and Kury. They had left something unfinished, and she wanted answers. But it didn't take long for the realization to dawn she would get none. Kury had his head hung low and his mind and thoughts were elsewhere. Her heart ached for him. Why hadn't he said something sooner? Then again, if he had, would things still be the same way they were now? What would have happened if he'd told her long ago how he felt?

She turned her head away to look out her window. The ocean lay far below, unspoiled by the troubles of those who crossed it. It remained untouched by impurities and evil, and contained an innocence that could not be found on that of earth's contaminated soil. The damage could not be undone; centuries of man's greed and corruption had impaired the completeness, the perfection, and the unity of the very soil they trudged on. The world had fallen apart, innocence and glory long forgotten in its destruction. The sea was the only remnant of what had once been, and even it too, was doomed to the corruption that eventually claimed all.

Taleah sighed. Times had been so simple back in school when nights were spent hanging out with her friends on top of the school building. And back then, the only cares she had were not being able to dance and get up in front of a few people to play her violin! They seemed like such stupid things to be concerned over to her now. Especially with the weight of so many people's lives weighing in the balance. She would give anything to be back in Domino City under normal circumstances and be at the Game Shop with Yugi and his grandfather or at home watching her parents try to figure out where their lost keys were located, or even in her room, polishing the trophy Kaiba had given her. But those days were over, forever. And now she'd be returning to Domino Town a different person. For she had changed over the past weeks. She was no longer that naive Taleah anymore. She had learned much in her visit to the island, and grown in her experiences. And she had seen the dark-wicked-side of people's souls, an experience she was sure had tainted her perception of human beings forevermore. She missed the old times and her old self. All of which seemed a world away, and a life time ago

It was Joey who broke the silence upon stumbling across a well hidden book. _"Keys to Understanding the Financial News. _Kaiba? Care to explain?" He waved the book at the pilot.

Kaiba's face flushed with anger. "Put that down!"

Joey read on. "Er, hem. _This updated edition features some forty-six key concepts to help you understand what you are reading in financial publications. Here's clean an' concise information on asset publications, understandin' prespectus, annunities, money market funds, mortgage-backed securities, and more. _Shall I read on?"

Kaiba made a swipe for the book but missed. Joey managed to keep it just out of reach while he read the first few chapters about financial news. Around the seventh attempt, Kaiba stole the book away and flung it into the far corner of the helicopter where Joey could not reach.

"Ah, man!"

"Don't worry, Joey," chirped Mo, happily. "He has plenty more of those copies in the manor. I'll even show you where he hides his magazines and favorite newspaper articles. I'll give you a hint: they're not about money stuff!"

Joey grinned gleefully. "Tell my buddy, do they show pictures of really pretty women on the front covers?"

Mo was about to reply when his older brother shouted quite loudly, "We're here! Exit to your left only. No, no, Joey! Wait until we've landed. Then again," he added with a sinister smile, "Go ahead."

"I'm not fallin' for dat one," Joey stated. "Now, have we landed or not?"

"Sure."

Joey frowned and sat back down. He crossed his arms and stared at Kaiba suspiciously. "I ain't goin' nowhere."

"Very well." Kaiba unstrapped his seatbelt and exited the helicopter. The rest followed behind, eager to stretch their legs after such a long and exhausting flight. Joey came last, muttering something to himself about sanity and pride.

The helicopter was perched on top of a helipad that was positioned a little north of the Kaiba Mansion. It was a mile walk to reach the manor through dense wood and thickets of which had long since grown to cover any remainder of the original trail. The nine of them made the journey in less than five minutes and stampeded through the front entrance. Kaiba was in the lead, everyone following close behind in a single file line. He lead them through a few great halls, tore through the library and down the stairs, practically leapt from the kitchen to the Meeting Room, and bolted down the last spiral staircase almost colliding into the butler who was blocking the front door.

"Who's driving?" he demanded. It was fairly obvious that he already knew the answer.

"I am," Kaiba replied, attempting to get by his servant.

The older man made a tsk-tsk sound. "You know that can't be accepted. You don't even have your license." He straightened and adjusted his tie. "I shall be driving tonight."

"But we need someone who goes above the speed limit," Mo complained. "You go too slow."

"It's good to have you back young Master. So I am displeased to tell you, no. Would you rather he drove at a non-safe speed and got arrested? Or travel safely and reach your destination without obtaining a time consuming ticket? Why, I don't know why you would even consider such a dreadful thing. Dreadful. Just dreadful!"

"Out of the way," Kaiba commanded.

"I'm driving. Now get in the car or else stay right here and argue with me. An easy choice."

"We're running out of time," Taleah told Kaiba. "Just this once? We're wasting the little time we have just standing here!"

Kaiba clenched his fists. "Fine. Lets all get into the car."

"The limo," the butler corrected. "It has the most seating. And correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like we have quite a lot of you to seat. Excluding the young Master, that is."

Mo hopped up and down in protest. "I'm coming too! You can't just leave me here!"

"Yes we can and will," Kaiba said, bending down to his brother's height. "It's too dangerous otherwise. You'd be safer here."

"Can I stay here?"

"No Tristen."

"What if the goons come back?" Mo asked. He was shaking, Taleah realized. "What if they take me again? There would be no one to stop them. You'd all be gone! What if this is a distraction? Pegasus will send some people after you and some after me? Please don't leave me here; I'm afraid of Pegasus."

"He holds a valid argument," the butler stated. "Now, are we all going or not?"

"Lets go then," Bakura mumbled, walking out the door. It closed behind him.

"Off to Simmick's I guess," Tea said following.

"Just how fast does this limo go?" Tristen inquired, hugging himself.

The night was a cold one, and dark beyond reasoning. Tension lay in the air and besieged them like a suffocating blanket. They all wondered to themselves in the darkest of nights, was this the end? Or merely the beginning of a new time? Could anything really end? Taleah didn't think so. She believed that no matter what happened that day, there would be a tomorrow. But what the next day would hold, she didn't want to imagine.

The limo was parked in a multiple level garage filled with expensive and luxurious vehicles ranging from sport utilities to highly pricey sport cards. It was a long, sleek, black vehicle made to sit eight. Not ten. Six of the seats were in the center with three on both sides facing each other. The remainder of the six was the driver seat and the passenger seat, in which Joey sat. Taleah, Tea, and Mai sat on one side while Yugi, Bakura, Tristen, and Kaiba sat on the other. Mo was small enough to sit in Taleah's lap.

"I can' believe I'm actually sittin' in da front seat of da limousine!" Joey said, happily. "I've always wishd da. My dream has come true!"

"Speed up!" Kaiba demanded. "You're going the speed limit."

The butler switched on his turning signal and made a painfully slow right hand turn. "Say 'please'."

Seeing there was no other way to get the man to go faster, Kaiba swore under his breath and half growled-half spat something that sounded very much like a malicious, "please."

The driver immediately sped up and wove in and out of traffic at dangerously high speeds. He blew his horn at fellow automobiles and even illegally cut in front of a few. He sped past stop signs without even showing the slightest sign of slowing down and paid no heed to the color of traffic lights.

"Cool!" Mo exclaimed. "I never knew you could drive like Seto! This is fun."

"Why is there so much traffic?" Tristen asked, edging away from Kaiba who was still cursing under his breath.

"It's a holiday," the butler answered. "You didn't know? There's a big party going on down town. About three quarters of this town's population is there, or currently on the way. I would have gone too. And was in fact just leaving when I got your call from the helicopter. Speaking of that, I am extremely curious as to where you two have been. Master Kaiba did not speak much over the phone. Never does. Calls, and then almost hangs up as soon as he says hello."

"Tell me about it," Taleah said. Her gaze met Kaiba's.

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "He's da little antisocial as ya woul' call it. Alright, very antisocial. _Extremely _antisocial."

"Shut it," Kaiba ordered. He turned his attention back to the butler. "As to where we've been, that is a long story. All you need to know is where we're going."

"To Mr. Simmick's. You managed to get that out right before you hung up. What are we going to do once we get there?"

The rest eyed each other. None had an answer. They had been postponing the question in hopes that the answer would come to them by itself. But it seemed that it was not so. None knew what to do with the four Millennium Items. They didn't want to use Them against Pegasus in fear that he'd be too strong and end up having Them under his control. The only way to prevent him and any other who desired Them from getting the Items was the very answer they all chose to ignore.

"The Items must be destroyed," Taleah said firmly. "We'll destroy Them so that no one will ever die for Them again."

_Very good, _the voice commented. _You made the right decision._

_It doesn't feel that way, _Taleah countered. _But this is what you meant about having to make a difficult decision, right? This is possibly the hardest choice I've ever had to make. I don't want you to go._

_I must. All things must eventually go. Nothing lasts forever. It is my time now. Don't feel guilty about anything. Remember what I told you before: I will always be with you. I'll never truly be gone._

_It will feel that way._

_For a little while maybe. But you'll never be alone. Just as you never have been. For truly, there is no such thing as being alone. I may leave, but some part of me will remain in you. I'll miss you, dear child. Never lose faith. Always believe in the Heart of the cards. Never forget me. For I'll always remember you._

_Good bye, spirit._

_Farewell, Taleah Dundigan._

__

Flower Petals: Well, if you made it past that chapter, congratulations! I'm not going to ask for reviews, because this chapter really didn't deserve any, but I DO want to thank you peoples who DID manage to read it and make it through without dying of boredom! So thanks very much! And I hope you stay tuned for the next chapter!!!!

Ja ne!


	23. Last Song Sung Part 2

Flower Petals: I'm sorry for the late update, but my family has just received some devastating news. A person who I have known and loved all my life-my grandmother-was just diagnosed with a very terrible form of cancer. In light of this, I am not sure how frequently I can update, and I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors.

Also, I've never asked this of anyone, you all _please _find it in your hearts to pray for her? Not that she'll be okay, because it's already too late for that. But that she won't be in a lot of pain. It would mean so much to all of us.

Thank you........

Malikzfan2: Thank you for being my 200th review! I had no idea I was even anywhere NEAR 200 reviews. Shows how space-cadety I've been recently.....-; THANKS! .

Mamono: I like Seto's butler too. If I ever have a butler (dunno why I would, but it's a cool thought!) I'd like to have one like him. Thank you for reviewing, and please update your wonderful story soon!!!!

Peace Writer: Ug! You twisted what happened in the previous chapter!!! Joey NEVER "dreamt" of being Kaiba's _chauffeur!!!!! _He only wished to be in the front seat of a limo, and I'm sure in his fantasies Kaiba was NO WHERE _near, _much less IN the same vehicle. So there! sticks tongue out Oh, and thank you for reviewing.....-;

Mina: I feel bad for Kury too...... But I only put him through that pain because I love him sooooo much! (If that makes ANY sense.....) He's too cute! I LUV Kury! Yay! Thanks for taking the time to review and make me smile.

Sakurelle: Speed limits are for suckers! Don't let your parents tell you anything differently!!! shoots nervous looks over her shoulder Uh-oh, if my parents read this, they'll most likely take away my driver's permit........Thank you loads!

LordoftheBloodyHand: Okay, your pen name is sorta creepy. And for some horrific reason that defies understanding, it's cool too!!!! Hmm.....must take time to ponder this over......More Taleah and Kaiba you say? I'll see what I can do! Thank you!

Tamara Raymond: I'm glad you like Honda's personality in this fic! I felt like I had to change it because otherwise, well ya know, he and Joey would have pretty much had the same personalities and that would have gotten boring and confusing. And you're right about Mai and Kaiba's OCCness.....Yikes! I'll try and fix that. I'm glad you pointed it out! And thank you for all the "advice-like blurbs". grin They were very helpful, and I'm always so thankful that you share your thoughts and criticism with me. I try to take all of your advice! Thank you SO much! I luv you!!!!!!!!!!

Blink182baby: They're all cute! Though Seto's evil.....He didn't use to be in the first season of Yu-Gi-Oh, but now he's just plain super creepy....I mean, how many times can you be defeated by someone and still think you're the better duelist? Huh? HUH? Erm, sorry......But my sister is madly in love with Seto, and for the life of me I can't figure out why.....Hmm......Thank you for reviewing! Hope you like the chapter.

TAB: Thanks for being so supportive of this story, sis! I wish I could have made Taleah's character half as special as you are in real life!!!

Disclaimer: Nada, nada, nada.........Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Don't even own my socks....Oops!__

_Flower Petals_

_Last Song Sung _

_Part 2_

__"Are you sure?" Yugi held his Puzzle close to his chest, fingers tracing Its golden edges. "It seems rather risky."

"No less risky than keeping Them and always having to look over our shoulders to make sure no one's going to kills us for Them," Taleah countered. "It's really the only choice we've got."

"Seems like I'm the only person who doesn't question this particular course of action," Bakura mused. "If anything, I'd be glad to get rid of mine. Especially after all the trouble It's caused."

"I agree with Taleah," Tea said. "These Items are dangerous. I mean, so many lives are in danger just because of Them! Wouldn't They be better off gone? I may not know a lot about Them, but I can see without a doubt that They are hazardous to us, to this city, to this world! They should not be allowed to continue to exist. Not when They're as dangerous as They are."

"It's settled then," Yugi murmured somewhat distantly. "We'll destroy Them. So They can do no more harm."

"We've arrived at Mr. Simmick's," their driver announced. "I will be pulling into their driveway shortly."

Taleah observed as they approached a large two story home with dozens of windows. It sat on top of a low hill and looked very dark and creepy in the way it was situated with blood red clouds encircling it from behind. A few large pine trees were planted on both sides of a brick path that lead to a farm-style porch. All the shutters were closed except for one revealing a small room brightened only by a single shaded lamp.

"Well that's good," Tristen remarked. "At least we know someone's home. For a moment, I was afraid that Simmick might be at the party."

"It's a good thing he's not," Tea commented. "Now lets head in."

"I'll come with you," the butler volunteered. "After all, if Simmick's parents are out, you'll need adult supervision."

"You can stay in the car," Kaiba said as he began walking up the path. "With Mokuba."

"I'm coming with you whether you like it or not!" the young boy made clear. "I wanna help too."

Joey got to the door first. After ringing the doorbell several times, he resorted to banging his fists on the door and shouting threats.

Not too much later, a tall kid opened the door armed with a bat.

Simmick wasn't all that attractive with his overly large glasses, braces, and messy brown hair. In fact, many had considered him a nerd. For besides his "nerdy" appearance, he had nerd-like habits that included constantly fidgeting with his hair, picking his very large nose, and saying the stupidest things at the entirely wrong times. But now, nerd qualities forgotten, he was thought to be a hero by many. When he saw Joey, he lowered the bat and allowed a confused expression to settle over his pimply face.

"Nice da see ya too," Joey said, pushing past Simmick and into the house. The rest poured in behind him, leaving a rather stunned ex-nerd holding the doorknob in one hand and clutching the baseball bat in the other.

"Lets get to business," Mai proposed. "Okay boy, you still have that Millennium Item of yours, correct? We need it. Hand it over."

"Mai-" Taleah began with an angered sigh, but Simmick quieted her.

"How do you know about the Millennium Items? Why do you think I have one?"

"We don't have time for this," Kaiba declared. "Do you or do you not have one? We're not out to get you, so tell us now."

Simmick was still somewhat incredulous, but he answered nonetheless. "Yeah. I have the Millennium Earing. Why do you care to know?"

To Taleah, the guy looked very intimidating still holding the bat. He was poised and ready to strike. She couldn't afford one wrong move. She had to come right out and tell him what was going on. "So you must be aware of the dangers? Yes? Then you must also know that innocent people are dying because of the more careless of those you desire Them. I have One too and so do my friends, Yugi and Bakura. We have decided we're willing to destroy Them so that no more will suffer. Take away all the special and unique virtues of Some, and all that's left are perilous Items.

"Now, someone is after us and these Items and quite possibly close on our trail. If we don't find a way to dispose of these Items before he gets here, the results could be really terrible. So are you onboard?"

Seeing that he was in no present danger, Simmick set the bat down and took a seat on one of the many dimly colored couches that occupied the room. "This is a lot to take in. I really like my Earing. But if we're all in as much danger as you say, then. . " He let out a low whistle. "Wow."

"Wit' all do respect Sim, we don' have much time," Joey warned. "Make yar decision quick. 'Cause we ain't waitin' much longer."

"B-But," Simmick sputtered. He fingered his Earing. "You don't understand. This is the only thing in the world that makes me feel special. Without It, I'm a nobody. I like feeling special. I don't want to get rid of It."

Taleah's heart sank. This was going to be a lot more difficult than she would have imagined. "Of course we understand how you feel. But having an Item doesn't make you special. You don't become Superman whenever you put It on. You're still just Simmick. The guy who pulled that old lady from a burning car," she added quickly.

"The Item saved the woman not me. Without It, I would have never been able to save her or myself."

Mai winked at Taleah. "I bet you would have done it anyway. You are a hero. Not because of your Earing, but because you acted on impulse. You did not hesitate to do what you thought was right. After all, was it you or your Item that first decided to help that woman?"

"It was me," Simmick admitted. "I'm the one who went for it. That's me, always willing to lend a hand."

Tea rolled her eyes and walked away. "Oh, brother. Spare me."

Mai pretended to be impressed. "You're quite a person without that silly Millennium Earing. You don't need it. You're special without it. And here's your chance to prove it. You can save more lives by giving It up. Pretty cool, huh? Come on, give It up. Do it for a good cause. Do it for me?"

Simmick blushed and pushed his hands together nervously. "Okay, if you say so." He dropped his head, unable to look Mai in the eyes. "God, you're hot."

Taleah stifled a laugh. It wasn't common sense that persuaded Simmick into doing the right thing, it was hormones! But nonetheless, Mai had done well. Now there was but one task left.

"How are we going to destroy such things?" the butler inquired. This new riddle was proving provocative and interesting to him.

Yugi slipped his Puzzle from his neck and placed it on a nearby table. Bakura practically tore off his and tossed It alongside his friend's Item. Taleah kept hers on, wanting to spend as much time with the presence and the voice as possible before she'd never hear from either again.

Tea picked up the Puzzle and shook It hard from side to side. "Open up you blasted thing!"

Joey took It from her and began shouting at It, "Come out! We know ya're in der! Get out now!"

"Um, please?" Tristen added.

But nothing happened. The Items remained the same.

"Where do you keep your tools?" Kaiba asked Simmick, an idea occurring to him.

"Why?"

"Just show me."

"Fine. You all coming?"

"Sure."

"Okay."

"Why not?"

"We should all stick together."

"I'm comin'!"

"I'll go wherever my brother goes."

"Whatever."

"You need someone with wisdom. I shall be obliged to accompany you in this brief journey."

"You can count me in."

Simmick led the way through most of his house and finally into the basement. It was a cold place that continued to get colder with every step. A dull pink carpet wound throughout along with many shelves and desks containing clutter and miscellaneous items such as old school photos and trophies dated many years before. At the bottom of the rail and to the right were saws, hammers, screwdrivers, nails, and other heavy duty tools used for mixed purposes. That was where Simmick led them.

He switched on the only light-a single lightbulb alone to provide light for the entire dark basement-and showed Yugi and Bakura where they could place their Items. "Alright Seto Kaiba, now what?"

"Lets destroy these hazardous devices." Kaiba picked up a hammer and spun it around with his fingers. "Anyone is welcome to help."

When no one volunteered, he shrugged, took off his jacket and began unbuttoning his shirt revealing finely toned stomach muscles. He lifted the hammer over his shoulder, and swung it down hard on Yugi's Millennium Puzzle.

The younger duelist flinched as he heard the resounding twang. Taleah felt for Yugi; she knew it was hard for him to watch. It would be hard for her too, if hammers worked anyway. But seeing that Kaiba hadn't made any progress, it didn't look too hopeful.

Simmick took off his shirt as well and joined Kaiba. He tied his shirt around his head and eyed Mai one last time before he began the hard work. With two people at it now the odds were a little better, Taleah noted, but not much.

"Man, I'm glad my parents aren't here," Simmick remarked. "They'd have a fit over all this racket. They're at the party, if you must know. Would be there myself, except I got a bad vibe. Don't get 'em too often, but I've learned to trust my instincts and besides, the girl I asked -"

"Not another word," Kaiba threatened, pointing a hammer at the voluble worker. "No more out of you. Get back to work."

"It sure is a lot of noise," Yugi said suddenly. "I'm going back upstairs. Would anybody like something to drink? Stupid question. Bye."

Taleah watched her friend ascend the basement steps. _Poor guy. It's painful for even me to watch. I can't imagine how hard it is for him. Kaiba doesn't need me here. Besides, I don't think I can watch for much longer. _Making a quick decision, she left the work site and climbed back up the staircase to find Yugi. She didn't have to look very far-he was in the dining room curled up in one of the chairs, face in hands. She hurried over to where he sat and propped herself up on the table. "I'm sorry."

Yugi lifted his head, purple eyes meeting her own. "It's not your fault. Don't feel bad. I knew this was going to eventually take place; I just didn't think it would be this soon."

"I know how you feel, buddy. I'll miss mine just as much as you'll miss yours. I'll especially miss that voice. Without it, I don't know where I'll be."

"I'll miss being taller," Yugi confessed. "That was always a plus."

"I'll miss being told what to do, instead of having to make my own choices.'

"I will miss having a deeper voice. My regular one is waaaay to squeaky."

"No, you're mixing up yours with Tristen's."

Yugi laughed and rubbed his eyes with a sleeve. "Since we're telling all, I guess the thing I'll miss the most is being someone else. Someone more than I ever thought I could be."

"You can't be any more than you already are. In a good way," she added. "You're already an incredible person. Any more, and there wouldn't be a word to describe you. Once again, in a good way."

Yugi smiled warmly. "You're a wonderful friend, you know that? I'm glad you waved Joey and me over that day long ago."

"Me too. It's kind of strange to look back that far. If we hadn't all met up that day, do you think we would have eventually become friends? Would we all be in this predicament?"

"Probably," Yugi replied. "But not together. You and I would have entered the tournament and possibly never saw each other. Tristen, Joey, Bakura, and Tea would all be home right now asleep, or watching late night television. More likely the latter for Joe. But lets not think about that. All that matters is that we're all together."

"Right. It's funny how things work out. I wouldn't have made it so far in the competition without you and the rest." She gazed at her dueling glove and the ten once bright but now dull yellow ten starchips it bore. "It's funny to think that I worked so hard for these. And now, they mean nothing."

"They're good souvenirs."

"That's just like you Yugi," Taleah laughed. "Always looking on the bright side of things. Sometimes I wish I had your optimism. Mine has run out."

"Really? Have you _ever _been optimistic?"

"No, I guess not. But I do try. It's just that whenever I attempt to be optimistic, whatever I say comes out sarcastic and therefore sounds pessimistic.'

"Quite a problem."

"Sure is."

Taleah slid off the table and pulled Yugi to his feet. "Come on. You know Kaiba is waiting for that glass of water."

Yugi made a face. "Forgot about that."

"Yeah, well help me find the kitchen. We'll do this together."

It took the two of them only a few minutes to find the kitchen and assemble a few glasses. Pouring the water proved to be difficult, considering they were attempting to do so in the dark, having not been able to find any sort of light switch. The only light found in the dark room came from the blood moon shining its eerie radiance through the many windows.

Taleah filled the glasses with water from the sink faucet that was located near yet another window. When she was finished, she and Yugi both turned and began heading back to the basement when it happened.

Two powerful beams of light pierced through every window, instantly brightening up the dark place. There was no mistaking themthey were from the headlights of an approaching vehicle. The sound of tires rolling over gravel filled their ears. It continued to get louder as the automobile grew near. Whatever it was, was coming.

Taleah and Yugi froze. They both instantly knew it had to be Pegasus. Their time had run out. It was the end. And now, there was nothing they could do to stop it. It was too late.

"Yugi-" Taleah began, but no sooner had she spoken when the beams of intense light disappeared. She listened closely as the sounds of the approaching vehicle diminished. Whoever it was, was most likely not Pegasus. For they had parked a few houses down and came out of their car drunk from the party and singing merry tunes.

Yugi sighed with relief. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That was close. I thought-I thought-"

"So did I. I really believed it was Pegasus coming to claim all the Millennium Items as his. I'm glad it isn't. My heart almost stopped."

"Mine too."

"We should head back downstairs before we find more things to freak us out about," Taleah suggested, her heart's thunderous beats reverberating in her ears.

"Good idea."

After a few failed attempts at finding the door to the basement, Taleah finally gave up relying on touch, and used her ears to find the stairwell. The noises from the basement were loud and obnoxious and quite easy to follow. Kaiba and Simmick were still working hard when she and Yugi found them at last.

They were both covered with sweat. Every swing took its toll on them, and their strength was running out. To make matters worse, both Millennium Items were unscarred. There was not even the slightest dent in either. Kaiba's and Simmick's effort had been in vain.

"Oh, how savage and uncivilized!" the butler declared, watching the two put all their strength into each swing. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief.

"Someone get him out of here," Kaiba demanded, thankfully accepting the glass of cold water Taleah handed him.

"Ain't workin' guys," Joey stated. "Any other ideas?"

"Maybe burning Them," Simmick suggested. "I could get some fuel and a match or two. It would be fun. And-and helpful."

"Wha' are ya suggestin', we cook dem up in an oven?" Joey scoffed. "I don' thin' so, man. Der's got da be another way."

"No conventional tool or oven is going to do the trick," Kaiba said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Maybe only the Item Bearers can destroy Them," Tea offered. "Afer all, they know more about Them than we could ever hope to."

"Taleah could only access her Item's power by focusing her energy," Kury thought out loud. "Maybe if all four of us join together and do the same, we'll be able to make an imprint on such. It's just an idea. But it may work."

"Do everything and anything you can." Tristen curled up into a tight ball in the corner. "I don't want Pegasus getting another one of those things. He already has two at least."

Mai looked bewildered. "He already has two and these Items are supposed to hold incredibly, amazing, unsurpassed powers?"

"Where has she been?" Joey asked himself.

"Shut up Joeseph. If we destroy Them, then we'd also be destroying any defense we might have against such a man. We'd be defenseless against his powers! We'd have nothing left to shield ourselves from him!"

"Mai, please," Taleah begged. "We know the risks. Besides, we're not even sure we could shield ourselves from him even _with_ our Millennium Items! This is the only way to make sure he doesn't get any more."

"Then what?"

"I don't know."

"Are we all going to die?"

"Mai-"

"Are we all going to die?"

Everyone was staring at Taleah now. They all wanted to know what would become of them-what their chances were. Even though deep inside, they knew already. Taleah's head spun. So many eyes. So many expectant faces. Who was she to know? Couldn't they all guess on their own? Why did they have to ask her? They all knew their chances at succeeding were slim. Even not having the Items, they were most likely to be held accountable for Them. There was no real answer to Mai's question. Except the truth. And that was the very last thing anybody really wanted to hear.

"Are we all going to die?" Mai asked her once more.

"I don't know," Taleah whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I don't know..."

Bakura stepped in front of Taleah, his eyes fierce; face reading of a challenge. "We all knew the risks would be high. But it's not too late to get out of it. Those who don't want to take that chance please leave now so that the rest of us can get on with our task."

No one moved.

"You are free to go," Kury continued. "Nothing and nobody is keeping you here. You can do as you please. So those of you who do not want to die or be stuck in a losing situation leave _now."_

__"I'm staying," Mai declared. "I'm no coward. I'd rather die attempting to save the world then live and see the world destroyed."

Tristen uncurled and stood proudly. "I'm not going anywhere," said he, his voice unfaltering.

"I'm staying with my brother."

"Mokuba-"

"No. We're all in this together." Mokuba hugged his brother's leg, rubbing his face against the soft fabric. "I don't want to die, but I don't want to live without you. I'll protect you."

"Butler, take the kid and go," Kaiba ordered. He turned away, jerking himself from his younger brother's grasp, no longer able to see his face. "I've already made one fatal mistake. There will be no more."

"But Brother-"

"Go. Take him."

The butler picked up Mo, and began ascending the steps. Mo protested the whole way, screaming and shouting at his brother for doing this to him-for leaving him. He thrashed at the butler with all his child strength, struggling against the man. But to no avail. His screams could still be heard even after they had left the house.

Taleah suppressed the thought that she might never see the little boy again. At least he was safe. For now. She shook her head, banishing all negative thoughts. She had to concentrate now. The task had to be completed. What would happen after, was later for her to find out. _There's always a tomorrow, _she told herself. _Just have to get by today. Focus. One thing at a time._

__"Perhaps we should form a circle and link our hands," Yugi suggested. "That's the only way I can think up that leaves us all linked."

Bakura shrugged. "It's a worth a try, I suppose." He took a step forward and took Taleah's hands. She held Yugi's, and Yugi and Kury held Simmick's. They were all linked.

In the center of the tight circle, were all four Millennium Items, placed in front of each Item Bearer. The objects glowed with an inner light trapped within. As each of those who were linked bowed their heads, the Items became brighter until they were so radiant, every last corner of the gloomy basement was now filled with intense light.

"What if whatever they're doing backfires and ends up killing them?" Mai asked, worriedly. "What if-"

"They know what they're doing," Kaiba assured, somewhat annoyed. "Trust them. Trust me."

"You better come out of this alive, Yugi," Tea threatened. "Or else I'll never sit, touch, talk, whisper, yell, warn, threaten, shout or walk to with, by, or at you ever again."

"That was harsh," Tristen commented.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

Tea smiled. "They'll be fine, won't they? And when they're back from wherever, we can lecture them on how dangerous and risky it was."

"I get to go first."

Mai took one of Tea's hands and then Tristen's. "Why don't we all link hands also? Only instead of wishing to destroy something, we'll concentrate on living, and making sure our friends are safe."

"That's an excellent idea."

"Lets."

Joey squeezed in between Mai and Tristen and folded Mai's hand in his own. "Count me in."

Kaiba backed into a corner, letting the shadows envelope him whole. His eyes focused on Taleah.

He had known once, long ago, that he was destined to be by himself. To never love. To never be loved. To die alone. But now he knew that future was gone forever. And although what lay ahead was shadowed in uncertainty, veiled by a black blanket disclosing only a faint glimmer of promise, he silently wished and prayed he would never have to be alone again; that against all odds, she'd be okay.

Flower Petals: Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed and please review. I will try and update as frequently as I can. And thank you ALL for being so nice and supportive and for being just the wonderful reviewers ya all are!

Ja ne!


	24. Last Song Sung Part 3

Flower Petals: I am truly sorry it has taken me so long to update. So much has been going on, I've had barely any time to even sleep! 0.o Here is the chapter at last, but first, I'd like to say a few words....

First off, I wanted to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for my grandmother. She died a few weeks ago peacefully in her favorite chair so thankfully, she did not suffer. You were all very supportive and kind, and I feel SOOOOO blessed to have such wonderful reviewers and friends. -

Secondly, I just started college. (EEEEEEEEeeeeeek!) So I'll update as frequently as I can in-between 3-6 page essays, Monday psychology tests that have anywhere between 50-100 questions, German quizzes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, study group meetings, and other various assignments. pant, pant Ug, just thinking about all the stuff makes my head hurt!!!! 00 But please, PLEASE, if you'd like me to update sooner or if you think that I've forgotten that I even have a story posted on fan (which has happened a few times in the recent past, -') send me an email or something to remind me!

But anygohoobles......Reviewer replies:

S. Chensu and Luff: I'm sorry I don't have much on Bakura and his spirit. I really should, because they're like, the coolest characters!!! But when I wrote this, I knew absolutely SQUAT so I didn't know how to incorporate them into the story. Sorry. And hey, I've performed Adagio for Strings by Barber! It's a nice piece. Thank you for reviewing!

Sakurelle: Thank you for being patient for "once". grin Patience really is a horrible word. I'm one of those people who HATES waiting. I mean, if you can do something now, why postpone it for later? And I drive people crazy whenever I start tapping my foot or something when I get frustrated for waiting for something to happen or somebody to show up. But I just can't help it. shrug Okay....what was I talking about??? Sorry! Um, I think I was trying to say, don't worry about being patient, and uh, thanks for taking the time to review my story.

Peace Writer: Thanks! I pay a lot of attention to detail, so I'm glad you noticed and liked it. And thanks for your constant support and helpful (and sometimes amusing .) comments.

Mina: I'm sorry your great aunt is sick. It really sucks when someone love is ill. If you ever need someone to talk to, please don't look past me! I'd be really happy to offer you the same wonderful support you have shown me. Thanks for everything.

Mamono: Ya know, I'm really not that much into Seto, but just picturing him taking off his shirt gives me the shivers. thinks, shivers Okay, so he IS a sexy guy. But that still doesn't take away from the fact that he's a jerk. thinks, shivers Ug, I've got to stop! Thank you for reviewing my story!

Tamara Raymond: Well, I took your advice on the climaxes of the story, so I hope I don't disappoint you! I probably shouldn't have drawn out the plot so long, but hopefully the climax will justify it. Once again, I want you to know that I deeply appreciate all your comments from the bottom of my heart. Your criticisms and advice are extremely helpful and I hope by utilizing them, I will become a better writer. I always look forward to reading your reviews and whatever you have to say. ) So thank you, _thank you, _for everything.

LordoftheBloodyHand: It just blows my mind that you print out every chapter. I mean, THEY'RE LONG CHAPTERS!!!!! But it's really flattering. - And I know, I know, more Taleah and Kaiba....I'm workin' on it.....

TAB: The funny thing is, you keep accusing me of forgetting to include you in my reviewer responses, but you keep forgetting to review, sis!!! So there! p But I'm including you in this reviewer response list for all the times in the past you reviewed and I forgot. -' So thank you for _nearly _always remembering to review.

Alright, onto the chapter!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Because if I did, than I wouldn't have named it something so gosh darn hard to spell and with so many weird dashes.

_Flower Petals_

_Last Song Sung Part 2_

Taleah was unaware of any motion or dark thoughts coursing through her friends' minds. She was completely absorbed in her determination to complete the task at all costs. Her mind was clear and concentrated on one thing alone-the destruction of the ancient Items. With all her willpower she wished Them gone and out of her and all their lives forever. Despite her love for It, she subdued her emotions and wished her bracelet destroyed. It was for the good of many, after all. She had to think beyond her own feelings no matter how puissant they were, and focus on what was best for not just her, but for the world. And the world would be a better place without Them.

A voice erupted behind her ear, startling her. At first, she believed it to be Yugi or Bakura who were standing closest to her. But one quick glance around the circle, and she realized that she was mistaken. All four of them were looking at each other, puzzled. It was apparent they could all hear the voices, though none could make out what any were saying.

The voices became more persistent, as if insisting that they be understood. There were many, ranging from all volumes and accents and both sexes. They inundated the room, repeating what they were saying continuously, each time becoming a bit more clear and understandable.

They were telling those in the circle about themselves, Taleah realized. The spirits trapped within the Millennium Items were telling her and her friends their lost lives, of which were all sadly cut short. They'd tell about their families and occupations and so many different things. The spirits sounded excited and wondrously happy, for at long last, they had their voices returned. They could speak.

Images began to appear. They took over Taleah's range of vision so all she saw was what they wanted her to see. She witnessed vast deserts, lush grassy plains, wagons, pyramids, art, paintings, etc. Everything that had ever mattered to the spirits, they showed. Their lives whipped by, one after another. And Taleah saw it all. She felt, touched, tasted, saw, and smelled all that the souls of those were gone had, long ago. Every last spirit within her Millennium Bracelet wanted to be heard-understood. They wanted to make their lives known. But above all, they wanted to be free.

Scenes rushed by Taleah's eyes. This time, instead of showing surroundings, the pictures portrayed faces of many disparate people. With each new face, came a new history, a new tale.

One was a man, an elderly man in those days, who had six daughters. He loved them dearly, but without a son, there would be no heir to inherit his farm. He had gone on a quest for one who would be worthy enough to carry on after he passed away, leaving his farm and all his belongings in the hands of his wife and beloved daughters. When the quest had brought him nothing but toil, he returned to his farm and to his utter amazement, found it running perfectly. There was an abundance of crops, and all of his livestock were in perfect health. His daughters had done well, he realized. He had been a fool to think otherwise. From that day forward, he never doubted anyone's capabilities. But soon after, monsters of terrible power wrecked havoc upon the farm and destroyed all but the farmer and his family. Fearing for his wife and daughters, he gave his soul so they would have a better chance at life. His voice disappeared amongst the cacophony of noise. He was free from his long bondage. He could now join his family once again, wherever they might be.

Another soul trapped within her bracelet was a young girl about Mo's age, who had yet to discover any of the virtues of life that came with age. She had been sacrificed by her mother, her short life, ending abruptly. However, Taleah could sense no anger, no resentment towards the cowardly parent. For over innumerable centuries, the child had come to forgive her mother. But that didn't stop her from missing the life she never had. Taleah's heart ached in despair. All the things the little girl would never experience! It was too depressing for her to dwell on. The child spirit shook her head. Or at least, Taleah _felt _her shake her head.

"All is forgiven," said the young girl. They were the last words she would ever speak. For she went now, to a destination unknown to those who could not see past the here and now.

Another spirit had been an itinerant teacher. Another, a brave warrior. Their lives and history filled Taleah's mind and mesmerized her senses. There were so many voices, speaking simultaneously and so many images and scenes. Taleah had to focus with great difficulty not to lose her self in the myriad of emotions. She felt their fear, their losses and gains, and their hope. She saw all times, whether good or bad, and witnessed their most cherished memories. When at last the voices began to subside, they left one particular spirit for last.

Taleah could not take her eyes from the figure. She was a woman in her twenties perhaps, and contained a beauty only heard about in fairy tales and myths. Long, volumptuous hair the color of a raven's wing cascaded down her back and around her thin shoulders. She had the appearance of being frail, but ever so strong. She had a commanding presence about her, that would make anyone want to sit down immediately and listen to whatever she had to say. Dressed in flowing, radiant robes, she descended from high above to speak with Taleah. Her soft and lustful dark eyes met Taleah's brown.

_"You know who I am, don't you?"_

_"Of course," _Taleah replied, her voice sounding strange to her own ears, as if she was hearing a stranger speak. _"You are the voice of reason that has always helped me."_

_"Very good," _the voice complimented, her tone light and musical. To listen to her speak, was like listening to a piano concerto or a duet amongst two violins in perfect harmony. _"Would you like to hear my story?"_

_"If you would be so kind."_

_"Alright. My story begins long ago in ancient Egypt. My mother and I lived a shadowy existence in a rural area that we called home. Days were spent tidying up our home and looking after our few animals. My mother, however, spent all her days mourning her husband's-and my father's-death. He had died before I was born, and my mother was miserable because of it._

_"Every so many moons, Mother would send me to a nearby town to buy fresh fruit and vegetables to life off of. Any kind of food was scarce, however, so many a trip to the market ended in vain. In my mother's eyes, anyway. To me, any excuse to get out of my depressing, dismal home was a gift of great magnitude. One such venture to the market, my last one, erupted into chaos._

_"I had been watching a farmer weigh his produce on a scale, when monsters of incredible and immense power stampeded into the town. They destroyed all in their way, leaving nothing but a trail of destruction in their wake. It was clear to me that they had once been the property of a duelist. But obviously, the duelist was now dead and his creatures were free to roam the earth and do as they wished. And what they wished then of all times, was to ruin the whole town and bring it crumpling down._

_"The townspeople, fearing for their insignificant lives, fled every which way, colliding into each other and accidently injuring fellow citizens of the doomed town. The market place was a mess; fruit baskets were overturned, their contents spilling out into the streets, the bodies of those who fainted lying in the crudest of places, frightened horses bucking free from their halters and obliviously trampling the very food that was so difficult to grow and harvest and even some people._

_"Rather than be apart of the complete chaos, I decided to use what little knowledge I had of Duel Monsters to stop the creatures from ruining further. I had never played such a game, but many a time before, I had witnessed such take place. So with all the courage I could muster, I confronted the beasts and commanded them to go no further. Much to my confusion, they obeyed and stood perfectly still as if awaiting their next orders. I used my control over them to command them to do as I pleased. According to the rules of the game Duel Monsters, they were now mine. But I didn't want such amazing and destructive creatures at my disposal. So I sold them for a good price to aspiring duelists and went back home. It was a fair enough bargain; I got plenty of money for necessities, and they got their puissant monsters for their crude game._

_"News quickly spread of my 'bravery'. I became a legend and many duelists came to learn of my alleged wisdom. They were all dismayed to learn that I had none. It had all been a fluke as far as I was concerned. But still, they came, asking advice from me. My mother hated it. She would lock me away in a room for days forbidding any visitors no matter how widely known and famous most were. Rumors reached the high priest and the pharaoh himself. They were both avid to meet such a unique being, for the abandoned Duel Monsters were destroying much of the world. I was their hope and salvation. But another, did my job first._

_"It was never quite clear where exactly he came from. He came from the heavens, many claimed, a messenger from the Gods. A soldier of the light." _The beauty's voice took a sour tone. _"He did what no other could do: he promised to rid the world of the beasts, And so he did. No one, ever quite knew how. But his dutiful task was not without a price. And an expensive one, it was. You know of what I shall not speak of._

_"I was the first sacrificed. Against my own will. The mysterious man considered me a threat. He told me so to my face, after cleverly disguising himself as just another duelist asking me for a favor or for a few words of wisdom. But he took much more than my words, he took my soul. You see, the world was not big enough for two to exist as saviors. And the ruthless man was not willing to share power, so he eliminated me so I would pose no threat to his fame or fortune._

_"No one ever discovered what happened to me. When my own mother discovered me missing, she just assumed I had run off with a handsome duelist to live a life on the road. I wasn't loved, so nobody mourned me. I was but a legend, who had no face. A legend, soon forgotten. After all, in the hearts of his followers, there could only be one hero. It was as if I never existed._

_"So that is my tale, Taleah Dundigan. Raised in solitude, only to become a victim of some political scheme. But I guess it was for the best. The man had done what he vowed to do. The earth is clear and devoid of the monsters. So I guess my life was worth something after all. That is my story. Do not ask me of a name, for I was never given one."_

_"A sad story," _Taleah admitted. _"Of a sad life. I'm sorry that was what became of you. As for your lack of a name, how about Destiny?"_

_"Destiny?"_

_"It fits. You always speak about fate and what's mean to happen. It was your destiny to be trapped within my Item. Probably so you could help me out and prevent me from making some terrible mistakes. Just like it is your destiny to be set free."_

_"That does seem to fit," _the spirit laughed. _"I like it. Thank you very much for giving me a name. Now perhaps, I can be somebody. Not just anybody, but me-Destiny."_

_"I'll miss you, my friend." _Taleah brushed away her tears and smiled. _"I'm happy that you're happy now. Go on, and live the life you were deprived of. All of you. You're free."_

_"All thanks to you. I will never forget you and all that you have done for me, Taleah. Maybe, if it is apart of your destiny, we'll meet again."_

_"I'm sure we will."_

__Destiny smiled warmly, as if remembering a pleasant memory. _"I have enjoyed watching you grow up, very much. You are a young lady now. It's a concept I'm having trouble believing. It seemed just yesterday when you were three and picked up the bracelet off your mother's dresser. You have grown a lot since that day."_

__Taleah laughed, teats forming a steady stream from her brown eyes.

_"I regret that I will not see you live into adulthood. I won't be at your wedding, and I'll never see your charming children. I will only remember you as I see you now-a young lady that is as just and courageous as she is beautiful. Don't ever lose faith in yourself. And always remember."_

_"I will."_

_"Take care, and beware of Pegasus, he is more than he seems." _Destiny began to fade, her voice becoming increasingly softer until it seemed that a single breath could blow away her words. _"Never forget, true believer. Farewell to you and your friends. We shall meet again, I suppose, but not here. In a better place. I will wait for you."_

__Taleah's vision was blurred with tears. But then a sudden thought occurred to her and she called out, desperate to get her answer before Destiny disappeared forever. _"Wait! What was the question? You said that I hold the answer to a long awaited question. What was it?"_

__Taleah heard Destiny's musical laugh for the last time. _"You silly girl. The question was: What is it like to be free? I think we all know now. Thank you for your answer. Good bye."_

_"Bye."_

__All color and darkness was masked by a pure and radiant light. With it, came one strong emotion-the sensation of being at liberty. After many centuries of confinement, they were finally free. No words would describe their triumphant joy and pleasure. They were no longer under any obligation. They were not held back. Every single one, was set free. They shouted their thanks to Taleah as they spiraled upwards in a dazzling column of light in its purest form. Then they all disappeared and Taleah was jolted back into her reality.

The darkness crept back. Slowly at first, as if unsure. But as soon as it saw that all light was gone, it blanketed the room once more in its wrath. The basement returned to being dark and dreary. No trace of the light remained, save for the single dimly shining lightbulb. But that too, was taken from them.

The lightbulb went out.

Flower Petals: That's all she wrote! (Literally!!!) Please keep in mind, I will try and update as frequently as I can. But PLEASE don't forget to review!

Take care!


	25. Last Song Sung Part 4

Flower Petals: Wow my gosh, I'm sorry for the ? late update!!!! It's just that with finals coming up in college and everything, I have had barely enough time to even breathe!!!

takes a long deep breath

Because it has been AGES (maybe even eras -') since I first began this story and the point I'm at right now, here's a little summary of everything that has happened thus far:

**Taleah and Tea become friends with Yugi, Tristen, and Joey through school, Bakura is introduced as the "mysterious" new student who spends a lot of time around Taleah (later you learn, he liked her all along!), Taleah meets Kaiba's younger brother at a grocery store and they become tight friends leading to certain erm, interesting experiences at the Kaiba Manor, they all participate in dueling each other, going to a talent show, and a school dance, bluh, bluh, bluh.**

**Okay, on a field trip Taleah meets Pegasus who demands that she hand over her special Millennium Bracelet (of which she knows nothing about). Upon refusing, Pegasus kidnaps her parents and forces her to enter a tournament at Duelist Kingdom. Not too much later, the same thing happens to Yugi and he is left with no other alternative but to fight for those he loves. Joey decides to enter the tournament for the prize money to pay for his nearly blind sister's operation and the rest of the gang decide to go as well.**

**Meanwhile, in a nefarious plan to take over KaibaCorp., Pegasus has Mokuba taken and Kaiba almost killed. Kaiba goes to Duelist Kingdom to get back his brother, and runs into Taleah and gang who are discovering much more than they bargained for at Duelist Kingdom.**

**Through close duels, giant creepy men (Panic), long distance phone calls to the other side of the world, a mysterious story, an ancient cryptic rhyme, an intense duel between Kaiba and Yugi, rescuing Mokuba, figuring out who owns all the Millennium Items and Pegasus's plan (for the most part!), and a helicopter ride back to the mainland, Taleah and her friends decide to destroy their Millennium Items for the sake of the world.**

**The magic within the Items' was released and the spirits They contained, set free. But all is not fine and dandy yet, for Taleah was given the mysterious warning that Pegasus is more than he seems, and just as the ceremony is completed, the only light in the basement is snuffed. With anxious hearts, Taleah and her friends await their next challenge which just might be their last.**

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Erm, yeah. -'

Sorry, I suck at summaries!!! . But I hope it gave you all at least _some _idea of what has happened thus far.

I am deeply sorry, but I can't do any individual thank you's for this chapter, so instead, just know that I love you all and I am SOOOOO thankful to all of you for your wonderful support:

Peace Writer    Lord of the Bloody Hand    Mamono    Shiro    Sakurelle    Mina

TAB    Tamara Raymond

In this chapter, EVERYTHING is explained and the story is pretty much wrapped up. It may seem abrupt, but right now, I just don't have the time to put any more thought into it, so I hope you don't mind. There WILL be a few more chapters, but the climax ends here, so hopefully enjoy!

_Flower Petals_

_Last Song Sung_

_Part _

"I didn't do nothin'!" Joey said, putting up his hands to support his claim, though none could see in the absolute darkness.

"Damn lightbulb," Simmick cursed. "Knew I should have replaced it. Here, I got a flashlight somewhere. Oh, there! Right." He flicked it on. "Works like a charm."

The single beam of light was barely enough to be used to identify anyone, much less provide sufficient light to see one's surroundings. But right then, it was all they had.

Taleah felt around on the floor for her bracelet. When she found It, she hurriedly picked It up and pressed It lovingly against her chest. But It was not the same; It was cold and empty. Devoid of the life It had once held. It looked so ordinary and common, Taleah could almost laugh with bitterness. Here was an item that she would have died to protect, less Its powers be wrought upon the earth, and now it was a meaningless, trivial entity. Her special, unique bracelet existed no more.

"Is everybody okay?" Tea's voice rang out and echoed in the dark basement. "Is everybody here?"

"We're all okay,"said Yugi. His tone was heavy with sorrow. "And I think we're all here."

"I-I saw him,"came the curious whisper of a faceless entity.

The flashlight revealed Bakura sitting with his knees pressed underneath his chin, shaking. "I s-s-saw the s-spirit."

"Da one dat almost trapped Tristen's soul?" Joey helped. "Wha' did he say? He's gone, right?"

"Y-yes, he's gone. But before he went, he sh-showed me all that he had ever done. It was h-horrible. I couldn't close my eyes. I had to watch as h-h-h-he. . . .I _saw_. . ."

"He'll never be back," Taleah assured. "None of them are coming back. They're gone forever. Forget what you saw."

"Then we have done what we set out to do," Kaiba concluded, stepping forth from the shadows. "The task is completed. Now what?"

The flashlight, their only source of light, ceased to work. The shadows crept back and the room became once again engulfed in a blackness far darker then the outside's starless night.

Before anyone could speak or act to combat their new peril, a single beam of light stronger than that produced by any flashlight, shone on a familiar figure. He came forward confidently, bearing the smile of one who at long last, came across what he had been searching so hard for. It was a smile of victory.

"Stay back," Kaiba warned. "Do not take another step."

"Is that anyway to welcome me, Kaibaboy?" Pegasus inquired. "Well now it seems I have all of you." He smiled gleefully. "At first, I believed it to be foolish to let you go. But now, I realize that it was quite beneficial. My dear Taleah, Yugi and Bakura. You have served me well, indeed. You have done what I could not; solve the riddle and in addition, you have located Simmickboy for me. Now, I obtain what was once mine, and what shall forever be in my grasp. Don't be fools. Hand Them over."

"But They're emp-" Tea started, but Taleah quickly quieted her.

"No," Taleah spoke firmly. "You can't have Them."

"What are you doing?" Simmick shouted at her.

"We won't hand Them over," Taleah repeated, her tone resilient. "We know you'll just kill us anyway."

"You simpletons!" Pegasus scolded. "Do you not understand that with the power I can acquire from owning all Seven, I can rule the world? No one can stand in my way. Not even you miserable mortals."

"Whoa, go back da second der!" Joey exclaimed. "Did ya jus' call us 'mortals'? Wouldn' dat be implyin' dat ya're otherwise?"

_He is more than he seems, _the voice's warning repeated. Taleah, despite her fear for the man or whatever he was, stood strong. For he was evil, and evil fed only on fear and uncertainty. And she was certain in what she was doing. She needed no voice to support that.

"Since this is your end anyway, I shall tell you. You have read and heard about all the rhymes and legends, correct? You have heard of the man in those myths who banished the beasts and saved the world, have you not? Well here's a little something that you did not know, nor could you have ever guessed-_I _am the man all those stories, in all those tales."

"Wouldn't that make you over five thousand years old?" Tea asked, dubiously.

Pegasus laughed. It was an annoying that made Taleah ill. "Energy never dies, silly girl. It doesn't go away, it just changes shape. It can never truly disappear. We are all made up of energy. The bodies we inhabit are merely vessels. Vessels grow old and die, but not energy. Never energy. After all, I am here am I not?

"But I see, you are not satisfied with the answer I have given. Fine then. I shall tell you more. In the mood for a story? Think you have time for one? Oh, dear, I have truly asked an irrelevant question. Of course you have the time-all the time in the world."

"Jus' speak an' get on wit' dit," Joey spat.

"Moody, my. Don't be in such a rush boy. Do you have another place you'd rather go to? Be my guest and leave, but those who bear an Item must stay."

"No way am I leavin' my friends!" Joey cried.

"Then you should learn to keep your mouth shut," Pegasus commanded. All the gentleman-like manners and charm he had once held, were gone. Now all that was left was a monster. "Anyone else care to speak?"

Bakura began to rock violently back and forth chanting to himself. His rocking became so violent that Taleah was worried he would hurt himself. "I _saw_ you." He jerked his head around and gave Pegasus an acid glare. "You are a deceiver."

Pegasus appeared startled. Something in Bakura's babble had made some sense to him for he looked uneasy, as if a precious and dangerous secret had been discovered. "I know not of what that loon speaks. Has he gone mad?" He uttered a nervous chuckle. "I will assume that all this pressure was a bit much for the fool."

Taleah disagreed. Whatever Kury had seen, had upset him. Not made him crazy. His words only supported Pegasus's claim of having lived that long ago. At that time, anything seemed possible. So Pegasus's statement seemed plausible enough. As well as Kury's. But Bakura's, was far more intriguing. For it seemed that he had unknowingly unlocked the door to a well hidden secret. And the truth.

"You have deceived many," Bakura said, rising to his feet. "You are a liar. Liar, liar, _liar, _LIAR, _LIAR!"_

"Bakura, are you okay?" Tristen questioned. "What's up with you?"

"You manipulated people and destroyed their lives by making them believe only what you wanted them to see, taste, hear, touch, and think." Bakura pointed a slim finger at Pegasus. "You are no man, Maximillian Pegasus. You are a monster."

Even Tea did not disagree with the words her crazed friend had spoken. Taleah had said once that she didn't believe in monsters; that good existed inside all. But she had been wrong. No good could be found in that man. No matter how deep any search probed. He was evil all the way through. And there was no other word to describe him, other than a monster.

"You know not of what you speak," Pegasus declared.

"You lie now!" Bakura shook his head, his silky silver bangs falling over his eyes. "Do not attempt to mask it. You are a liar, first and always. You could not handle what fate had handed you so you changed it. Warped it. You manipulated reality. You drove to accomplish anything that would make your life easier."

"What are you talking about?" Tea asked her friend, brow wrinkled with worry.

Yugi's face twisted in thought. "Manipulated reality?"

Pegasus threw his arms up in mock defeat. "Fine. You got me. I did everything you have accused me of. So what? Can we move on?"

"You are not proud of what you have done?"

"It was ingenious," Pegasus bragged. "Purely brilliant. Everyone believed without a doubt that the creatures were. . .were. . .real."

The tension in the room increased tenfold.

"The monsters were all fake. Every single one. You see, they never existed. Save for in the hearts and minds of people, but more commonly, duelists. They were but a ploy to aid me in my thirst for power. Monsters and beasts and all that stuff fairy tales and myths are made of are strictly found in tales and myths. Oh, and I should include, people's minds.

"It was fairly easy convincing all those people that such creatures existed. Their feeble minds would believe anything that I had to say. Humans are so weak minded and so easily affected and influenced by outside forces and every day occurrences, they believe only what their eyes tell them. Which worked in my favor, perfectly. So willing to believe they were, that they gave up their very souls to avoid being destroyed by imaginary creatures! It's actually quite funny, if you care to think about it."

_That cruel evil man. _Taleah's jaws tightened with anger and with a hatred so intense, every fiber of her being seethed in it. _It was all a big hoax. Those brave people gave up their lives for no reason. They could have lived with their families, instead of falling victim to this insanity. They were sacrificed for no other explanation other than to allow a monster to gain power. That beast of a man is rotten to the core. It was murder._

"Oh, yes," Pegasus went on. "It gave me great pleasure watching those helpless fools as they ran away terrified from nonexistent creatures! It was outright brilliant. And so easy to accomplish. You see, the human mind is a powerful thing. I can make anyone believe anything I say so strong is the power of illusion."

"You are a hideous man," Tea stated with abhorrence.

"Well that's your opinion," Pegasus shrugged. "I got thousands of people to think otherwise. They worshiped me. I could do it again."

"Yes," Kaiba agreed. "But why now? Has it taken you five thousand years to find all seven Items?"

"No, it has not. The power I accumulated from holding all Seven could not exist on the earth for more than a pathetically short amount of time. My power was too great, my force too strong. And all know that such magic cannot be contained forever. Besides, my body was failing me. It had grown old in all its numerous years. But with my magic dwindling, I could no longer repair it. In the end, my power disappeared and I was left a broken man. So I went away for a time, abandoning my decrepit vessel and now worthless items. But I vowed to return and claim back what was and is rightfully mine. It took me a great number of years before I had gathered back my strength and began my quest. I made a new body, far better than the old one, and searched for the Items that I prayed still held power beyond reasoning embedded in Their depths. The Millennium Eye was the first I found. And as you can all see, the Other's came long after."

"You have a Millennium Eye?" Simmick inquired.

In reply, Pegasus pulled back the strands of crystal white hair that always strangely seemed to cover the left side of his face, to reveal a golden eye deeply embedded into his skull. It was solid gold. The intricate pattern of an eye in the center had an intense gaze that seemed to pierce through clothing and flesh and look into one's soul. The Eye was a mysterious object that was both terrifying and hideously ugly.

Mai gasped in disgust.

Joey shielded here with an arm. "Dat thing sure is disgustin'."

Simmick had to look away. The rest stared in wonder and revulsion. The very sight of the Item caused them to feel repugnance and disgust. It made them feel naked, bare, as if It could see far beneath their outer appearances.

"The Millennium Eye is the most mighty of all Items," Pegasus told. "It enables me to read one's mind, to know what they are thinking. I can see it all: your hopes, your dreams, your deepest desire, and fears. You can hide nothing from my Eye. With It, I can probe into anyone's mind no matter how much resistance or how much they choose to fight it.

"You fools. Haven't you ever wondered why each and every Item bears an eye? It's because the eye is capable of revealing what one is thinking. Feeling. It is a window into one's soul. The eye sees all, the eye knows all. It shows pain, sorrow, anger, pleasure, regret, and. . .desire. It reveals what anything else cannot. But don't any of you worry, I shall not use my gift against you. For your eyes tell everything to me. Do your hearts grow cold through the knowledge that your demise is just moments away?"

Taleah took a step back only to bump up against someone who was standing behind her. The someone put a firm hand on her shoulder. She didn't have to turn to know who was offering her the only comfort he could give in the end of all things; she knew it was Kaiba. She was grateful to be surrounded by people who meant so much to her. They had all truly made her life a memorable and enjoyable adventure. Even if she had the power to, she wouldn't change a thing. Everything was how it was meant to be. Time would go on, unphazed by the happenings of that day. And tomorrow would always come.

"If you supposedly have all this power, then why try to take over my company?" Kaiba challenged, tightening his grip on Taleah's shoulder.

Pegasus shook his head impatiently. "Power comes in all forms, my dear boy. I simply believe that your knowledge of technology and all your latest innovations would come in handy. And I dare say, they will."

A look of suspicion came over Mai's face. "He's right; if you really do have all this power, why do we have to hand over the Items? Why can't you do some powerful magic and take Them from us?"

"Rules, my dear," Pegasus sighed. "Alas, if I had that kind of power, I would do all that you have said. But even I have to obey these requirements. According to the rules of Their ancient magic, one has to win a Millennium Item in a duel or be offered It willingly."

Taleah gasped. It all made sense to her now. "That's why you set the tournament! Because if those who had an Item were defeated by someone who represented you, you'd get their Item, right? Because they lost It to you in a duel?"

"Gracious Taleah, you are quick," Pegasus said with a false note of pride. "It's exactly so. Since neither you nor Yugiboy would hand over your Items no matter what I did, I decided to give you a chance to let you fight for Them. Not that I had a choice, anyhow."

"That was very sly, Pegasus," Yugi said, hate growing in his voice. "You fooled us all. But may I ask then, why you didn't accept my challenge at the Game Shop when you first took my grandfather prisoner?"

"Duel Monsters is a game of luck. Of chance. I couldn't dare risk all that I've worked so hard for on a single match. Besides, there was much more opportunity for you to lose at Duelist Kingdom. Ah, Duelist Kingdom. . ." Pegasus chuckled darkly. "That was fun while it lasted. I created Duel Monsters all those thousands of years ago, you know. And now, I have re-created it. It would be so easy-_so easy_-to get people to think once again that the monsters on their cards are really alive.

"But lets not stray off track. Now that I have regained my original power, the world is as good as mine. Don't be idiots, give me your Items. If you do so, I will spare the prisoners of my castle. Not a tough decision, is it? It doesn't require much thought."

"As long as Grandpa is spared, I will give you my Puzzle," Yugi announced. "Will you keep true to your word?"

"Yes," Pegasus said, his one real eye sparkling with anticipation.

Yugi picked up his beloved puzzle and handed It carefully to Pegasus as if It still contained some priceless entity. The man greedily accepted It, delight evident in his transparent and lustful gaze.

"You can have mine," Bakura offered. "I absolutely despise the thing. It has brought me nothing but pain and madness. I offer It to you willingly."

Pegasus was so absorbed in passion and enthusiasm, he held no suspicions against their willingness to cooperate. He snatched the Item away from Bakura and held It lovingly, seemingly unaware It was empty and devoid of the power he had sought for, for so long. "You!" He pointed the Millennium Ring at Taleah. "Give me yours."

Taleah reluctantly handed her bracelet over. She would have never given up her most prized possession, if not for this situation. Yugi and Bakura were working on something, and they needed her help. She knew what they were devising, for it had also been in her mind. It was risky, but if they were to perish anyway, then they'd all die at least attempting to bring down the insatiable monster.

"Mine!" Pegasus cried as he seized the Bracelet and stroked Its smooth surface. Bowing his head, he whispered something then kissed It. "My beloved. Mine again. After so long, so long! I feel your power. Yes, so much power and unlimited source of magic and strength. All mine. . .mine to harness; _mine to control!"_

"Has he gone mad?" Tristen asked.

"Power can make anyone mad," Mai answered.

_He does not know that the Items are empty, _Taleah realized. _He only feels the power he was expecting. But there really is none. With all his heart he believes himself almighty, when really he has the strength of only three Millennium Items. How sad. That man deceives even himself._

"Why is he ranting like that?" Tea questioned. "Doesn't he know that They're empty? What power can he feel?"

The words had come out before Taleah or anyone could stop them. They had gotten Pegasus's attention. He tilted his head at Tea, drool slipping from the corners of his mouth. He looked like a child that had just been told his favorite toy didn't exist. It was a statement he was not willing to embrace.

"Liar! You are a miserable girl! I shall punish you for your impudence! But later. Now, I will once again enjoy my recovered magic and power."

"But be warned," Yugi cautioned. "Remember, the power that you feel cannot remain on the earth for too long. It will go away. And so will you."

"Now that you have even more power, you will disappear sooner," Mai added, exchanging looks with Yugi. "You will be gone forever."

"No!" Pegasus shouted, his rationality and self control diminished. He had truly gone insane. "I don't want to go. My power must last. It has to!"

"It ain't," Joey said. "It'll go an' ya'll never see it again."

"You're feeling weak now," Simmick aided. "You feel like you're disappearing, slipping away. Your power is indeed great, but it is fleeing from you and soon, will be gone again."

It was right about then, when Tea finally realized what her friends' intentions were. "You are no more Pegasus. You will go now."

"You will finally get what you deserve," Bakura said, vehemently. "I hope you bloody well rot in the darkest corner of your insanity. Good riddance, deceiver of many including thyself."

"This can't be happening!" exclaimed Pegasus. "This wasn't supposed to occur!"

"You were wrong," Tristen announced. "This is _your _demise; your end."

"No!"

"Go back to the shadows," Kaiba ordered. "You were never meant to be in the light. Return from whence you came."

"I-I'm fading!" Pegasus suddenly screamed. "No, not again! I have waited too long, far too long. My goals were within my reach. They can't be beyond it now! My power, my strength!" Sweat poured from his brow as he twisted around and around, helplessly searching for something that might help him. Anything that would. "So weak. . .deprived. . .Not yet, not again! I don't deserve this, I don't!" He screamed as he looked at his fading hands. "No," he whispered in ultimate horror. "No."

Taleah stepped forth and looked down upon the broken man. Her words bore no sympathy. No mercy. For such a monster did not deserve to be redeemed in any way. "You should have died long ago."

A dark veil engulfed Pegasus and swallowed him whole. From the blanket of darkness crept a coldness such as Taleah and the others had never felt before. It numbed their senses, and froze their limbs. It was the chill of death. After hundreds of years of avoiding its inevitable force, it had come for him at last.

"We did it?" Tristen asked after the coldness had swept away. "We did it!" He sprang into the air with great joy, almost landing on an equally enthusiastic Joey.

Simmick and Kaiba clasped hands, while Tea and Yugi held each other's and danced around in a big circle. Tristen and Bakura exchanged smiles and words of relief. Taleah watched her friends happily, though she did not participate in their celebration. There was too much to be done first. When her parents were back safe at home, she would celebrate.

A thought occurred to Tristen and he turned to gaze upon the spot were Pegasus had met his final demise. "Do you think he'll come back? What if he's right about being made up of energy? Wouldn't that almost guarantee his return?"

"At least if he does come back," Taleah said, "There won't be any more Millennium Items."

Flower Petals: And that's all she wrote. (Literally!) Well, for right now, anyhoos..... There will be more chapters, so stay tuned! And please review. -

Ja ne!


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